Arsenal’s Iván Marcone (l) struggles for the ball with Emmanuel Más.
Qualifies for Libertadores Cup
Nicolás Aguirre, Mariano Echeverría and Emilio Zelaya scored in Arsenal de Sarandí’s deserved 3-0 victory over San Lorenzo lifting the Copa Argentina trophy and qualifying for the Libertadores Cup.
CATAMARCA — Arsenal de Sarandí hammered San Lorenzo 3-0 yesterday to claim the Copa Argentina trophy and win a spot in the next Libertadores Cup.
At the Bicentenario Ciudad de Catamarca stadium, Gustavo Alfaro’s team moved ahead in the 36th minute when Nicolás Aguirre scored with a header from outside the box after goalkeeper Sebastián Torrico rushed off his line.
The bad news continued in the first half for San Lorenzo as its best player in the Initial Tournament, Ignacio Piatti, was sent off with direct red card in the 44th after a hard tackle on Iván Marcone.
Mariano Echeverría, also with a header, doubled the difference in the 54th. Aguirre sent the ball to the box with a freekick before Julio Furch passed the ball to Echeverría with a header.
San Lorenzo could not find a way to pull one back, or even to create an opportunity to score with Arsenal taking advantage of that to seal the victory. Emilio Zelaya escaped from two defenders, got inside the box and scored with a fierce shot in the 76th.
Besides qualifying for the Libertadores Cup, Arsenal will also play the Super Cup final against Vélez Sarsfield, the AFA Super Champion.
It was Arsenal’s fifth title (South American Cup 2007, Suruga Bank Cup 2008, Clausura Tournament 2012 and Super Cup 2012.
Alfaro’s team was: Cristian Campestrini; Hugo Nervo, Echeverría, Diego Braghieri, Damián Pérez; Fausto Montero, Marcone, Matías Zaldivia, Aguirre; Jonathan Gómez and Furch.
San Lorenzo played with: Torrico; Julio Buffarini, Pablo Alvarado, Santiago Gentiletti, Emmanuel Más; Néstor Ortigoza, Juan Mercier; Piatti, Ángel Correa, Leandro Romagnoli; Gonzalo Verón.
Herald with agencies