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Latin American Roundup Boca coach punched as Independiente closes in on titlePosted: Monday November 25, 2002 3:42 AMUpdated: Monday November 25, 2002 12:39 PM BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) -- Independiente struck a late equalizer to earn a 1-1 draw with Boca Juniors on Sunday in an Argentine top of the table clash during which the Boca coach was punched by a fan and police used tear gas on missile-throwing supporters. The draw kept leaders Independiente three points ahead of second-placed Boca with one match left to play in one of the most dramatic championship races for years. Boca looked set to pull level on points after winger Guillerme Barros Schelotto scored in the 38th minute. But Lucas Pusineri equalised for hosts Independiente, coached by 1978 World Cup midfielder Americo Gallego, with only four minutes to go to leave the Red Devils on the brink of their first title for eight years. The match was marred when an Independiente fan ran on to the pitch and punched Boca's Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez. The supporter was immediately arrested and Tabarez was unhurt. Police also had to use teargas against the 12,000-strong Boca contingent in the 60,000 crowd after they began hurling missiles on to the pitch. Independiente, who finished bottom of the championship held in the first half of this year, are away to local rivals San Lorenzo in their final game next Sunday while Boca are at home to mid-table Rosario Central. San Lorenzo have reached the final of the Copa Sudamericana and could field a below-strength team. They drew 1-1 with Talleres on Friday. Racing Club, coached by former Tottenham and Argentina midfielder Osvaldo Ardiles, moved up to fifth place by winning 3-0 at Chacarita Juniors, their third victory in a row. Ardiles, back working in Argentina after an absence of more than 20 years, has had a difficult first season after taking over from Reinaldo Merlo, who last year led Racing to their first title for 35 years. Diego Milito, Adrian Bastia and Nicolas Pavlovich scored Racing's goals in the second half. Arsenal, in their first season in the top flight, jumped to eighth with a 2-2 draw at home to Lanus.
Santos teenagers sink title favorites Sao PauloRIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) -- Two superbly-taken goals by teenagers Robinho and Diego gave Santos a 3-1 win over title favourites Sao Paulo in the first leg of their Brazilian championship quarterfinal on Sunday. Corinthians striker Deivid hit four goals as his team silenced an 81,000 crowd by hammering Atletico Mineiro 6-2 away and veteran striker Romario set up all three goals in Fluminense's 3-0 win over Sao Caetano. Santos, chasing their first domestic title since 1984, produced some of the best football in the first stage of the championship but their young team were considered rank outsiders against a Sao Paulo side which hammered 57 goals on their way to qualifying in first place. Striker Alberto put Santos ahead in the 30th minute but Sao Paulo midfielder Kaka equalised in first-half injury time after turning his marker, bursting down the left and firing a shot into the roof of the net. Santos regained the lead when 18-year-old Robinho fired home on the turn in the 51st minute from just inside the penalty area for his eighth goal of the championship. Shortly afterwards, 17-year-old midfielder Diego scored from almost exactly the same position when he placed a subtle shot beyond the reach of Rogerio Ceni, his ninth goal in the competition. Corinthians, led by Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, raced to a 2-0 lead in half an hour at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte but Atletico struck twice in the last five minutes before halftime to equalise through Mancini and Michel. But the visitors ran riot after the break. Gil and Deivid restored Corinthians' two-goal lead, then Deivid completed the rout by adding two more late goals with the Atletico defence appealing in vain for offside. "It's a good advantage and we mustn't waste it," said Parreira. Romario, who had trained separately from his team-mates for most of last week, produced a typical performance for Fluminense, disappearing from the action for long periods before popping up to settle the game. The 36-year-old created the first goal for Magno Alves with an astute pass and put striker Roni in the clear to convert Fluminense's second. He also created the third in injury time when goalkeeper Silvio Luiz could only parry his free kick and substitute Magno Alves stuck home the rebound to claim his second of the game. "There's no point in Romario training like mad all week and then being too tired to play," said Fluminense coach Renato Portaluppi, responding to allegations that the 1994 World Cup hero was enjoying preferential treatment. Gremio and Juventude, two teams from southern Brazil, played out a goalless draw in Porto Alegre in the other tie. Juventude goalkeeper Diego was the game's outstanding player, defying Gremio with two miraculous saves. Juventude dropped striker Claudio Pitbull, who is on loan from Gremio and said that he would not celebrate if he scored against his former teammates.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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