Lanus 0 Argentinos Juniors 1
With this victory Argentinos Juniors become king makers and party-poopers at the same time.
Lanus had launched a late challenge to Velez Sarsfield who had looked like the only title contenders for some time. If Lanus had won this one, they’d have been just a point behind Velez with a game to play.
But true to form, the Bichos played much better away from home to win this game with a Nico Blandi goal in the second half that leaves Velez, who’d beaten Huracan 2-0 earlier in the day, four points clear at the top of the table and uncatchable.
The hero of the afternoon was our goalkeeper, the young Luis Ojeda who was outstanding.
One to watch -- Luis Ojeda
So now that the title has been settled, we’ve still got the Copa America to look forward to, beginning in Argentina on July 1st. And then the presidential elections in October.
That looks like being duller than this football season that’s drawing to a lacklustre close. There really is only one contender for this one, and she’s not sure she wants to play. The opinion polls all put President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner out in front.
But she’s rumoured to be: a) still mourning the death last October of her husband, the former president, Nestor Kirchner. b) None too fit herself with regular bouts of illness that have forced her to cancel important trips and meetings. c) Perturbed by scandals lurking in the political backwoods that threaten to sneak up and bite her ankles.
But if not her, then who? Her own governing Peronist party is peopled by thugs, nerds and light-weights. Some boast just one of these less than savoury characteristics, others all three. But what none of them seem to have is vision or charisma.
And the opposition is a confusing mish-mash of bickering individuals. If any of them did, by some quirk, find themselves with the presidential sash draped over their shoulder then the first thing I imagine they’d do would be to run from the presidential palace into the street screaming: “What do I do now?!”
The newspapers are filled daily with page after page about who has met who and who might form alliances and who might not. Ricardo Alfonsin, the son of the former president, Raul, probably tops the pile of ‘the rest.’ There’s Francisco de Narvaez, interesting for the tattoo on his neck, and ….. I’m sorry, I can’t go on. I’ll return to the football.
Another one who decided this weekend that he’d had enough is the old Boca Juniors warhorse, Martin Palermo. He played his last game at the club’s Bombonera stadium in the 1-1 draw with Banfield. But the game was really just an excuse for the fans to celebrate a man who never pulled out of a challenge and never gave less than 100% in any game.
Diego Maradona was back at the ground after a two-year absence to join in the celebrations.
Palermo scored 194 goals in two spells at Boca in 317 games. Most of them were not beautiful. His tended to be the head that reached the ball in the middle of a ruck or the toe that stabbed it home while being muscled by a couple of burly defenders. But they were often vital goals at vital times which partly explains why the Boca fans hold him so dear to their hearts.
Martin Palermo - Old Warhorse
He also put in his fair share for Estudiantes and for the Argentina national team, scoring the goal in extra time in the rain against Peru for the team to qualify for the 2010 World Cup when all seemed lost.
I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be watching my football from now on in High Definition having had the relevant box delivered by our new providers. But it was prefaced by one of those stories that leaves you asking: “Did they really say that?”
They told us the man with the box would visit us for installation between 8am and 4pm. That lack of precision is annoying but common the world over and we accepted it with good grace. “But he won’t come if it’s raining.”
“What?! It’s an indoor installation that requires no outdoor activity whatsoever.”
“That’s the agreement. If it rains, they don’t work. Health and safety.”
It didn’t rain and he came and everything is now so much clearer, so much more definition. The great irony of course, is that while artificial life on my TV is clearer, outside my front door the real world has gone all blurry.
That’s because of ash blown up from an angry volcano deep down in southern Chile that’s caused havoc with flights in and out of everywhere in this part of the world and has left a thin film of ash coating Buenos Aires.
But that burst of volcanic anger will pale into nothingness against the eruption that will be provoked if mighty River Plate drop out of the top division. They didn’t do themselves any favours with a feeble 1-1 against Estudiantes and still sit precariously above the danger zone with just a game to play.
Arsenal beat Colon 1-0 on Saturday. Quilmes helped their survival hopes with a 2-0 win at San Lorenzo. All Boys beat Gimnasia 1-0, Tigre and Independiente drew 0-0 and Olimpo and Newell’s 1-1.
