Argentine Primera Division Review: Velez Sarsfield stay perfect, River Plate win big

Velez Sarsfield preserved their perfect record in the Argentine Primera Division with a crushing win, while River Plate routed Godoy Cruz.

After a scoreless opening half, Jose Oscar Flores’ Velez dismantled Independiente, piling on four unanswered goals to win 4-0 at the Estadio Libertadores de America on Saturday.

Lucas Pratto was the pick of the bunch with two goals, while Leonardo Rolon and Lucas Romero were also on target away from home.

Velez are the only remaining team to have won all three games following Racing Club’s shock 4-0 loss to Tigre on Friday, and sit two points clear at the summit.

There was nothing to separate Independiente and Velez at half-time, paving the way for Pratto take centre stage in the second half.

Fabian Cubero picked out Pratto, who showed tremendous skill to bring the ball under control before firing past Independiente goalkeeper Diego Rodriguez in the 47th minute.

Pratto, who was subject of interest from River Plate last month, doubled the visitors’ lead in the 73rd minute following a superb run that started inside his own half.

Rolon’s spectacular goal from a corner and Romero’s solo effort capped off a comprehensive display in the final nine minutes.

River Plate are within two points of Velez after thrashing Godoy Cruz by the same scoreline on Sunday.

Carlos Sanchez and Teofilo Gutierrez set the tone at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas with goals in the second and fourth minutes, before Rodrigo Mora made it three on the quarter-hour mark.

Gutierrez added some gloss to the scoreline in the 63rd minute as Godoy Cruz finished the match with 10 men following Guillermo Cosaro’s second yellow card.

Atletico Rafaela, Rosario Central, Arsenal and Lanus are all level on six points with Racing Club.

Goals from Mauricio Gomez, Federico Gonzalez and Guillermo Fernandez saw Atletico Rafaela to a 3-0 win at Boca Juniors on Sunday.

Rafael Delgado scored a 90th-minute penalty as Rosario Central come from behind to beat Gimnasia La Plata 2-0 on Saturday.

Arsenal were 1-0 winners over Olimpo on Friday, while Lanus overcame Estudiantes 2-1 on Sunday.

In other results, Newell’s Old Boys and Belgrano played out a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Argentina international Maxi Rodriguez appeared to have earned the win for Newell’s with his 87th-minute spot-kick, but Emiliano Rigoni equalised three minutes later as Belgrano earned their first point.

Banfield downed winless Copa Libertadores champions San Lorenzo 2-0.

The defeat left San Lorenzo bottom of the table, though they have only played two games.

Meanwhile, Defensa y Justicia and Quilmes drew 1-1.