Ardiles defiant after Racing crash again

“I’m not considering resigning, I intend to work my way out of this situation,” said Ardiles, who took over at Racing last month, just four days before the start of the championship.

“We were equal to Rosario Central while the score was 0-0 and we created a lot of problems for them, but we couldn’t recover after the first goal,” he added.

Argentine media are speculating that Ardiles could lose his job and be replaced by Huracan coach Miguel Brindisi.

Paulo Ferrari broke the deadlock with a penalty, Luciano de Bruno added a second and Cesar Delgado scored twice as Rosario won for the fourth time in five matches and jumped to second place in the Apertura championship. Racing remain in 16th place.

Defending champions River Plate went top by hammering Estudiantes 6-0 away in one of two games marred by crowd violence.

River raced to a five-goal lead in only 33 minutes with two from debutant striker Esteban Fuertes, and one each from Alejandro Dominguez, Luis Gonzalez and Eduardo Coudet. Uruguayan defender Leonardo Ramos headed into his own goal in the second half.

The first half was interrupted as Estudiantes supporters rioted and hurled missiles on to the pitch before referee Fabian Madorran decided to continue.

The derby between Banfield and Lanus became the first match to be abandoned by crowd trouble in the championship.

The game was abandoned in the 23rd minute after Lanus supporters clashed with police. Twelve people were arrested, police said.

Boca Juniors stayed in touch with the leaders by coming from two goals behind to draw 2-2 at home to San Lorenzo.

Jose Chatruc and midfielder Leandro Romagnoli put San Lorenzo 2-0 ahead after only 23 minutes before Boca midfielder Carlos Tevez, one of Argentine soccer’s latest discoveries, scored twice in a 12-minute spell to equalise before the break.

Boca are level on 11 points with Independiente and Newell’s Old Boys, who drew 1-1. (Reuters)