Velez Sarsfield took a clear lead atop the Argentine league standings Sunday, while River Plate and Boca Juniors both dropped points and look to be out of the title race.
Santiago Silva and Maximiliano Moralez gave Velez a 2-0 home victory against Gimnasia, while River Plate drew 1-1 at home in the Buenos Aires derby with San Lorenzo and Boca had to rally twice to rescue a 2-2 draw at lowly Arsenal.
With four games to go, Velez leads the Clausura table with 30 points, ahead of Godoy Cruz on 27 and Lanus on 26. River is back in fifth on 23 points and Boca is ninth with 22.
Earlier Sunday, relegation-threatened Quilmes boosted its survival hopes with a 2-0 home win over Racing Club.
Silva gave Velez the lead against Gimnasia when he received the ball with his back to the goal on the edge of the box, then turned and floated an inch-perfect lob over goalkeeper Fernando Monetti in the 26th minute.
Moralez sealed the win with an 82nd minute penalty to cap a fine week for Velez, which is closing on two trophies after reaching the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday.
River keeper Juan Carrizo was embarrassed for the second time in a week in the match against San Lorenzo.
Carrizo punched a corner into his own net in the ''superclasico'' defeat against Boca Juniors last Sunday and allowed a long shot from Jonathan Ferrari through his fingers to present San Lorenzo with a 74th-minute equalizer this week.
Leandro Caruso had given River the lead after tapping home a pass from Mariano Pavone in the 29th.
The draw continues River's recent downturn in form and leaves the club in a relegation playoff spot in the table of average points used to decide the drop.
Boca's two-game winning streak drew to a close at Arsenal.
Mauro Obolo headed the opening goal from Jorge Ortiz' right wing cross in the 23rd, with substitute Lucas Viatri beating Arsenal goalkeeper Cristian Campestrini to Pablo Mouche's cross for the equalizer in the 54th.
Lisandro Lopez leapt above Boca keeper Cristian Lucchetti and defender Matias Caruzzo to put Arsenal back in front in the 61st, but Pablo Mouche beat the offside trap to salvage the draw in the 82nd.
The result stretched Boca's unbeaten run to six matches, but the single point probably means it's too late for a championship tilt.
The draw edged Arsenal away from the relegation playoff spots.
In Friday and Saturday results it was: Newell's Old Boys 1, All Boys 0; Banfield 1, Godoy Cruz 1; Tigre 0, Lanus 3; Argentinos Juniors 0, Olimpo 1; Huracan 0, Estudiantes 2 (match suspended); Independiente 3, Colon 1.
