Needless to say there was a rather prickly atmosphere in the Gigante de Arroyito on Sunday afternoon as Rosario Central hosted a Boca Juniors side still celebrating their controversial Copa Argentina triumph. On Wednesday night in Córdoba, Central were robbed of a chance of silverware after glaring errors from referee Diego Ceballos handed the trophy to Boca and with the wound still raw, the vociferous Rosarinos let their feelings known. Between a series of banners accusing the AFA of corruption and a supporter dashing onto the pitch in the direction of Boca manager, Rodolfo Arruabarrena, the match was delayed before Central could claim something of a moral victory against the 2015 double winners.
Against a second-string Boca side and with nothing really on the line it was the visitors that took an early lead through Andrés Chávez but as they have all season, Eduardo Coudet’s side never gave up. With the game opening up after the break, both sides had come close, with the post denying Rodrigo Bentancur from doubling Boca’s lead and Guillermo Sara proving why he has been a more than adequate backup for Agustín Orión in 2015.
Eventually Central found a way past Sara after second-half substitute, César Delgado drilled a free-kick into the bottom corner and this proved to swing the match in favour of the home side. José Luis Fernández expertly put them in front with ten minutes remaining and in stoppage time, Marcelo Larrondo nodded in a third.
Missing out on the league and the cup to Boca, Central’s victory could not be described as revenge but it should not take anything away from what has been a wonderful season for Eduardo Coudet and his unfancied side.
Their result meant even less given that San Lorenzo got the win they needed away to Atlético Rafaela to ensure the runners-up spot and the second automatic Libertadores spot. Nicolás Blandi rifled in the only goal of the game early in the first-half and although Edgardo Bauza’s side needed to hold out with ten men for almost the entire match after Fabricio Fontanini’s sending off, Los Cuervos claimed the vital victory. Bauza now walks away from the Nuevo Gasómetro but a third consecutive year in the continent’s biggest competition is an achievement in itself.
golazo argentino 