Latin American Roundup

Boca moves back to top of Argentine table with 4-0 rout

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) -- Boca Juniors went back to the top of the Argentine championship by beating Huracan 4-0 with a hat-trick from Hector Bracamonte on Sunday.

Boca's away win took them above Velez Sarsfield, who slumped to a shock 1-0 home defeat by Olimpo, and condemned hapless Huracan to second-division football next season.

Estudiantes stayed unbeaten under Carlos Bilardo after being held 0-0 at home by Rosario Central, their fourth draw in a row. River Plate, Boca's archrivals, remained in the title hunt in second place with a 4-0 victory over San Lorenzo.

Defending champions Independiente, who have no chance of keeping their crown after a miserable campaign, are still waiting for their first win under new coach Oscar Ruggeri after being held 0-0 at home by Nueva Chicago.

Boca made light of the absence of injured strikers Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Carlos Tevez to overwhelm Huracan, who are now certain to finish in the bottom two of the relegation standings which are decided over three years.

Bracamonte, returning from injury, opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and completed his hat-trick with two goals in an eight-minute spell in the second half. Gustavo Pinto was also on target.

Boca lead the Clausura championship with 35 points, one more than River and Velez with four matches to play.

Fernando Cavenaghi, Matias Lequi, Andres D'Alessandro and Guillermo Pereyra hit River's goals, while a second-half strike from Olimpo's Cristian Castillo stunned Velez.

Estudiantes continued to pull clear of the danger zone, moving up to 12th, but there was nothing pretty about their game against fourth-placed Rosario Central.

Bilardo's men have won one and drawn four games since the coach who led Argentina to their second World Cup title in 1986 was persuaded to return to the touchline after a spell as a television commentator.

Independiente's equally dreary 0-0 draw meant they slipped to 17th place after their second match under Argentina's 1994 World Cup captain Oscar Ruggeri.

The Chacarita Juniors-Lanus and Arsenal-Banfield matches also ended goalless. Chacarita held on despite having Leonel Unyicio and Ariel Rosada sent off in the last 12 minutes.

Arsenal continued to toil in their first season in the top flight. The team coached by Jorge Burruchaga, who scored the winning goal in the 1986 World Cup final against West Germany, have scored eight goals and conceded nine in their 15 matches.

Colombia: Caldas wins title after 53-year wait

BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) -- Provincial club Caldas beat Atletico Junior 1-0 in a tense match on Sunday to win the Colombian championship for the first time in 53 years.

Sergio Galvan Rey scored the only goal of the second leg as Caldas, based in the city of Manizales, won the final 1-0 on aggregate to claim the Apertura, the first of two separate championships played in the season.

Atletico were struggling from the 17th minute when striker Martin Arzuaga was sent off for a late tackle on Edgar Catano. But goalkeeper Milton Patino kept them in the game with some excellent saves.

Backed by a 50,000 crowd at the Palogrande stadium, Caldas finally broke through when Argentine striker Rey converted a half-chance set up by Arnulfo Valentierra in the 74th minute.

Caldas, coached by Luis Fernando Montoya, who led Atletico Nacional to the runners-up spot in the Apertura championship last year, won their only previous title in 1950, three years after the tournament was founded.

Caldas and Atletico Junior battled their way to the final as the more traditional teams such as America, Deportivo Cali, Atletico Nacional and Millonarios fell by the wayside.

Brazil: Santos catch leaders Cruzeiro

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 8 (Reuters) - Title holders Santos went level on points with Brazilian championship leaders Cruzeiro after scoring two late goals to win 2-1 at Guarani at the weekend.

Guarani, whose coach Pepe played alongside Pele in the dynamic Santos team of the 1960s, took a first-half lead through Wagner but lost control of the match after midfielder Emerson was sent off in the 52nd minute for violent play.

Douglas headed the equalizer in the 74th minute and Elano scored the winner with a first-time shot from a Rubens Cardoso pass three minutes later.

Cruzeiro, who were playing in the first-leg of the Copa Brasil final against Flamengo, stayed top on goal difference and have a game in hand.

Emerson was one of three players who found themselves in the doghouse after receiving red cards.

Fluminense substitute Ademilson was sent off without even touching the ball during his team's 2-1 defeat at Vitoria.

He took the field in the 83rd minute and, less than 60 seconds later, was dismissed for a dreadful challenge on an opponent. Nadson scored both goals for Vitoria, who are ninth.

Sao Paulo's Carlos Alberto was given his marching orders in the 85th minute against Bahia after an astonishing incident in which he hacked down an opponent and then stamped on his chest right under the nose of the referee.

Hosts Sao Paulo, leading 2-1 at the time, gave away a late equalizer as they were held 2-2.

Reinaldo scored both goals for Sao Paulo, who are still under interim coach Roberto Rojas. Nonato twice replied for the visitors as he took his tally to eight in the championship.

Former Chile goalkeeper Rojas, banned for life for faking an injury during a 1989 World Cup qualifier against Brazil when his team walked off the pitch, was granted an amnesty by FIFA two years ago.

Bottom club Goias lost their sixth match in a row, going down 2-1 at home to Coritiba, while Paysandu ended a six-week run without a win by beating Parana 3-0.

Striker Fernando Baiano scored in the third minute of injury time as Flamengo scrambled a 1-1 draw at home to Cruzeiro in the Copa Brasil tie. Midfielder Alex had put Cruzeiro ahead with a cheeky goal in the 75th minute, his sixth of the competition.

Cruzeiro coach Vanderley Luxemburgo ran onto the pitch at the end to protest to referee Carlos Eugenio Simon in front of millions of television viewers.

"You've harmed my team as you always do," yelled Luxemburgo, angry at bookings which will result in defenders Edu Dracena and Thiago being suspended from the return match.

 

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