 |
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
|
|
 |
Larger
font size
Printable
version
Send
to a friend
Email
your comments
|
"With seven points separating the top five and five matches still to go, the Argentine championship's no clearer as Europe's leagues draw to a close" |
There were parallels with the English Premiership in Argentina last weekend. Not much was happening at the top, so the focus switched to the bottom. It would probably be stretching the point too far to mention that the Primera A also saw decisive goals from Argentine strikers, admittedly.
San Lorenzo (top) drew with River (fourth), Boca (second) drew with Arsenal (fifth) and Estudiantes (third) drew with Vélez (um, tenth). About the only joy anyone got from this was that River can still kid themselves they're in with a shout, six back with five rounds to go. The relegation battle, though, is starting to look very tasty. The rights and wrongs of deciding who goes down by averaging points out over three seasons can be debated until the cows come home. Well alright, more specifically: we can list reasons that it's a bloody stupid idea until the cows come home, because it's hard to think of any positives. But it does mean that come this time of year, results between the bottom clubs can take on varying degrees of significance as the points average swings. Complicated though the whole system was to explain in the first place, it's even worse trying to put across the nuances, but try I must. As things currently stand in the Promedio, Quilmes are rock bottom with less than a point per game, from a full three seasons' worth of matches. So let's take it as read that they're all but down. The three sides above them, however, all came up only last August. As such, their points averages are only worked out on their results this season (since they've not been in the top division for the stated three seasons yet). Brace yourselves, there are some numbers coming up. From 33 matches, then: Nueva Chicago have 35 points (1.061 per match); Belgrano have 36 (1.091) and Godoy Cruz have 37 (1.121). Colón, next up, have 133 points, which looks impressive but since it's over 109 matches they're only .9 of a point ahead of Godoy Cruz. An extra three points for Colón next week, spread over what would then be 110 matches, won't make a lot of difference to their average. Three points for Godoy Cruz, though, would cut their deficit to just .3-and-a-bit of a point. Still awake? Next weekend, Chicago host Godoy Cruz. The following weekend, Colón visit Belgrano whilst Godoy Cruz play Vélez at home. You'd think that second one was a foregone conclusion, but Godoy Cruz have shown since coming up that they're capable of beating anyone at home, and with the right results they could just lift themselves above Colón, who also have the visit of Boca and a last-day Santa Fé 'derby' (sort of) against Rosario Central to come. Admittedly it's not exactly as thrilling as the Serie A relegation run-in (one third of Italy's top flight clubs are not yet mathematically safe, and there are only two matches to go). In fact it's not very thrilling at all, but with five matches remaining it's at least starting to look interesting, which is more than can be said for it most seasons due to the daft points averaging system.
Anyway, it's kept things interesting because at least at the bottom there were teams who actually wanted to win their matches. Belgrano got things rolling by stuffing Quilmes and Colón beat Gimnasia de Jujuy, whilst Godoy Cruz and Chicago fought out 2-2 thrillers with, respectively, Lanús and Gimnasia La Plata. It was a nice contrast to the games involving the top clubs, of whom the general consensus seems to be 'couldn't really be bothered'. Boca came back well after falling behind but the scare of midweek – when they went down 3-1 at Vélez in the Libertadores and ended up clinging to their 4-3 aggregate lead – might have affected them. They play seasoned Argentine-beaters Libertad of Paraguay in the next round, kicking off in La Bombonera this Thursday night. Next weekend sees the country's second biggest clásico (behind the super), the Avellaneda derby between Independiente and Racing. Racing appointed a new permanent manager last week, Gustavo Costas, and he employed an interesting 3-4-1-2 in Rosario against Central. In a match featuring two of Argentina's bright young attacking talents, Racing's Maxi Moralez and Central's Ángel Di María, it was Di María who scored the only goal of the game. So Racing, still without a win in ages, take on an Independiente side who've won one of their last eight. Anyone offering odds on a draw? With seven points separating the top five and five matches still to go, the Argentine championship's no clearer as Europe's leagues draw to a close. The remaining relegation slots (assuming Quilmes are one) look a little more clear cut, but at least there's still something to play for down there...
|
||||||
| Argentina
División Primera A – Torneo
Clausura 2007
10th-12th May: Copa Libertadores 2007 9th May
|
| |
 |
|
||||