BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 13 (Reuters) - San Lorenzo thumped Colon 5-0 to go top of the table as the goals flowed and fans rioted in Argentina at the weekend.
Oscar Ruggeri's team provided the highlight on a weekend in
which the nine Apertura championship games which finished
produced 31 goals.
The low point was in Mendoza where newly promoted Godoy
Cruz's first home game in the top flight lasted just 17 minutes
before being abandoned as fans clashed with police.
The referee initially suspended the match against Arsenal
as police used teargas to try and quell the trouble on the
terraces at the Malvinas Argentinas stadium.
But trouble resumed ten minutes later and the game became
the first of the championship which failed to finish.
Crowd trouble is a regular problem in Argentina where three
first division matches have been called off already this year.
On the field, Peruvian Roberto Jimenez and Oscar Pereyra
scored twice each for San Lorenzo as they won their second
straight game. Ezequiel Lavezzi added the fifth.
San Lorenzo lead on goal difference from Independiente, who
scored three goals in eight minutes to beat Belgrano 3-1.
Rodrigo Diaz, Gaston Machin and German Denis scored between
the 65th and 72nd minute for the Red Devils, who have made an
excellent start under new coach Jorge Burruchaga.
Burruchaga, who scored the winning goal for Argentina in
the 1986 World Cup final, enjoyed some of his finest years at
the Avellaneda club.
BOCA WIN
Defending champions Boca Juniors and Estudiantes also have
maximum points from their first two games.
Boca won 2-1 at Rosario Central with second-half goals from
defenders Juan Krupoviesa and Daniel Diaz.
Despite having German Rivarola sent off, Rosario pulled one
back through Ariel Garce in the 89th minute and were deprived
an equaliser when former Costa Rica striker Paulo Wanchope
missed a sitter in injury-time.
Estudiantes, coached by former Argentina captain Diego
Simeone, beat Gimnasia-Jujuy 1-0 with a goal from striker
Mariano Pavone.
River Plate and Newell's Old Boys shared six goals at the
Monumental stadium in another thriller.
Paraguay striker Santiago Salcedo put Newell's in front
after 11 minutes but River hit back with a Marcelo Gallardo
penalty and a goal from Fernando Belluschi.
Two goals in four minutes from Paraguay striker Oscar
Cardozo - a header and a 30-metre rocket -- gave Newell's a 3-2
halftime lead before Eduardo Tuzzio equalised early in the
second half for Daniel Passarella's side.
There were also five goal games at Nueva Chicago, who beat
Argentinos Juniors 3-2, and Gimnasia-La Plata, who beat Quilmes
by the same score.
Velez Sarsfield and Racing Club produced the weekend's only
goalless draw.
