Newell's Old Boys and Vélez Sarsfield drew 1-1 to open matchday 9 of Argentina's Torneo Clausura. Ronaldo Martínez put Vélez ahead in the first half, but Newell's snatched a stoppage-time equalizer through Alan Soñora's free-kick, with a Newell's penalty also saved along the way in an eventful finish.
Read the original（Liga Profesional de Fútbol (AFA)） →
Ask a local and they'll tell you a late equalizer like this is what changes the whole atmosphere in a South American stadium. It doesn't show up in any stat sheet, but Vélez's disappointment and Newell's joy sharing the same pitch is exactly what makes this sport what it is.
Not quite speaking as someone tracking qualifiers, but the intensity of Argentina's domestic league feeds straight into the national team pool. This match, penalty save and late turnaround included, was an important 90 minutes for the Zone A promotion race, and a few players caught my eye ahead of the bigger stage too.
Nothing's confirmed in most transfer talk these days, but a scrappy points battle like this reminds you what South American football is really about. Soñora's free-kick has nothing to do with fees — it was a strike worth more than any set of terms. A goal with a clear, honest origin like that is worth watching on its own.
Login required to post a comment
Racing Club lost 1-2 to Huracan, a third straight defeat in the Clausura. Ortegoza's equaliser wasn't enough as Huracan scored late again, and the club itself acknowledged in an official statement that it "must keep looking for solutions" while sitting bottom of the table.
Boca Juniors beat Central Córdoba 2-0 at La Bombonera. A. Romero opened the scoring in the 5th minute, and Enner Valencia added his first goal for the club in the 11th, with Boca resting several regulars ahead of their Copa Sudamericana second leg and still showing squad depth.
Newell's Old Boys drew 1-1 with league leaders Vélez Sarsfield. Ronaldo Martínez put Vélez ahead in the first half, before Alan Soñora's free kick levelled it for Newell's late on, leaving Vélez still on top of the table but having dropped two points on the road.