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Argentina: Pressure mounts on Rivarola after Racing draw [Tue Sep 20th, 2005]
Racing Club fought out a 2-2 draw with Olimpo in an action packed match played at an exhilarating pace in Avellaneda. Still the result puts enormous pressure on Racing coach Guillermo Rivarola, as Racing languish in seventh position.
Although Racing was thrashed 4-0 last weekend by bitter rivals Independiente, a strong number of loyal fans supported the home side.
Racing came close to opening the scoring early on, but former Boca star Raul Estevez hit the woodwork from close range.
In the 42nd minute Ezequiel Maggiolo put the away side ahead after a brilliant counter-attack. Uruguayan midfielder Hugo Costela won the ball in midfield and charged forward, passed to David Ramirez on the right flank, which sent a good ball into the box, and Maggiolo shot in for his fifth goal of the season.
In the 47th minute defender Diego Crosa scored Racing’s equaliser, when he slotted in after Argentina’s 1998 World Cup goalkeeper Carlos Roa missed a Capria corner.
But, surprisingly Olimpo went ahead once again in the 58th minute. Gerardo Solana crossed in a good ball from the right, and an unmarked Leandro Benitez headed past Racing goalkeeper Gustavo Campagnuolo.
With twenty minutes left before the final whistle, Racing Club were back on level terms, thanks to Javier Villarreal, who tapped in after Sebastian Romero’s imprecise shot slid across goal.
The result puts pressure on Racing coach Guillermo Rivarola, as the club sit in seventh position, but a huge factor weighing on his future at the club is last weekend's humiliating derby defeat. Rivarola may face the sack next weekend if Racing don’t get a positive result away to highflying Boca Juniors.
Boca Juniors moved up to third position after an impressive away victory over Gimnasia La Plata.
Rodrigo Palacio put Boca ahead in the 31st minute when he struck a crossed shot into the left corner of the goal, after a Sebastian Battaglia drive deflected into his path.
In the 56th minute Federico Insua scored his first goal with a Boca shirt, when he drilled the ball into the right post from outside the box, after a terrible defensive error.
The result marks Boca’s first away win in eleven outings.
Banfield share top spot with San Lorenzo after defeating Colon de Santa Fe 2-0, and stretched their undefeated record to twelve matches in the league.
Dario Cvitanich scored his first goal for his new club in the 6th minute, when he headed in from a cross.
Former River Plate striker Jose Sand added the second in the 46th minute when he blasted a penalty into the left corner.
Apertura: Round 7
Sunday Results
Racing Club 2-2 Olimpo
Argentinos 1-0 Rosario Central
Banfield 2-0 Colon
Instituto 0-0 Gimnasia Jujuy
Newell’s Old Boys 1-3 Arsenal Sarandi
River Plate 0-1 Velez Sarsfield
Gimnasia La Plata 0-1 Boca Juniors
Gregory Sica
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