Argentinos Juniors clinched its first league title in 25 years,
beating Huracan 2-1 on Sunday after goals from Juan Mercier and
Facudo Coria.
Mercier opened the scoring for Argentinos in the 24th minute
with a close-range header, and Facundo Coria grabbed the team's
second on a header 12 minutes from time.
The Buenos Aires club - the first professional club of Diego
Maradona - finished the 19-game Clausura season on 41 points, one
more than Estudiantes, which defeated Colon 4-1. Mauro Boselli
scored a hat trick for Estudiantes.
Argentinos had all the play in the first half with four clear
chances in the first 10 minutes. The champions were less impressive
in the second half, but finally broke through with a second goal.
Huracan had two players sent off midway through the second half.
Alan Sanchez scored for Huracan in the 88th with the club down to
nine players.
The title is special for Argentinos Juniors' popular coach,
Claudio Borghi. Borghi played with Maradona in Argentina's World
Cup-winning team in 1986 and was a member of the Argentinos side in
1985 - the last time the club won the league.
Borghi is the first person at the club to win titles as both
a player and a coach.
"At first we came into the season trying not to be
relegated," Borghi said. "Now we are champions. We have to enjoy it
all. I think all the players did an extraordinary job ... I'm happy
for the club, and today is a special day for me."
This is the eighth different champion in the last eight
seasons in Argentina. The two biggest clubs - Boca Juniors and
River Plate - have each won once in that period.
The match was soiled at the end inside Huracan's stadium when
police needed to use a high-powered water hose to control angry
young men, who attacked police and hurled objects at them and
opposing players. At least one policeman was struck by his own
nightstick after lost it in a run-in with hooligans.
Estudiantes played without its top player midfielder Juan
Sebastian Veron, who was suspended for the match.
Estudiantes is still alive in the quarterfinals of the Copa
Libertadores, the continental club champion. Estudiantes lost the
first-leg quarterfinal last week 1-0 to Brazilian club
Internacional. They play the second leg this week.
In other results in Argentina on Friday and Saturday in the
final round of play: Arsenal 1, Godoy Cruz 2; San Lorenzo 2,
Newell's Old Boys 1; Banfield 3, Boca Juniors 0; Gimnasia 3,
Atletico Tucuman 3; Chacarita 1, Racing Club 2; Independiente 1,
Lanus 0; Rosario Central 0, Velez 0; River Plate 1, Tigre 5.
In Argentina, the two teams with the worst records over the
last three years are demoted. River Plate will begin next season at
the bottom of the relegation table and could face relegation at
this time next season.
River, Boca Juniors and Independiente are the only three
teams that have never been relegated to the second tier.
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