They may have had to watch city rivals, Newell’s Old Boys enjoy a recent spell of success but since returning to the Primera División, Rosario Central certainly appear to have their number. Inside the Gigante de Arroyito, bitter foes, Newell’s enjoyed plenty of possession but were ultimately undone by goals from Franco Neill and Nery Domínguez before frustration then got the better of La Lepra and Ignacio Scocco and Leandro Figueroa were sent off.
The meeting between Central and Newell’s is always a big deal and in the football mad city of Rosario there is only one ‘superclásico.’ In spite of there being no visiting fans, the clásico rosarino is without question one of the most passionate matches in the Argentine football calendar.
Newell’s quickly stamped their authority on the match and went about their business in what is now their way, passing the ball neatly and seeing plenty of possession. However, what is certainly missing from the current Newell’s side is the goal threat that they possessed under Tata Martino when Ignacio Scocco, during his second spell at the club, was so deadly.
As has often been the case with Newell’s under Gustavo Raggio and Alfredo Berti before him, their toothlessness is ultimately punished. On the half hour mark, a cross from the right was met perfectly by the head of the tiny Franco Neill and the stadium erupted as Central snatched an unexpected lead.
With La Lepra still coming to terms with Neill’s goal they found themselves two-down in unfortunate circumstance. Goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari was injured coming to claim a cross and when Nery Domínguez fired back the cleared ball, Ustari was unable to react quick enough to prevent the ball whistling past him into the back of the net.
The second half followed a similar pattern as the first but with Central content to defend their lead and force the visitors to break them down. With no breakthrough coming, frustration began to show and when Nacho Scocco was not awarded a penalty that he claimed, his reaction earned him a straight red.
With minutes remaining, Leandro Figueroa joined Scocco for a late challenge and Newell’s thoroughly depressing afternoon came to an end.
Central close to within a point of their rivals, in midtable but victory in this match means so much more than the three points.
golazo argentino 