Rosario Central beat arch-rivals Newell’s Old Boys 2-0 to go top of the Argentine championship at the weekend after River Plate and Boca Juniors suffered shock defeats against teams at the foot of the table.River coach Manuel Pellegrini blamed over-confidence as his team, who won 6-0 at Estudiantes a week ago, were beaten 2-1 at home by coach-less Huracan.Boca lost 1-0 to Lanus, like Huracan without a win previously.Central, under Argentina’s 1978 World Cup coach Cesar Luis Menotti, beat their local rivals from Rosario for the first time in 22 years. Striker Luciano Figueroa opened the scoring five minutes before half-time and Gustavo Arriola snatched the second in the 85th minute."The key was that Central used the ball better and had more possession, whereas Newell’s resorted to a physical approach and crosses into the penalty area," said Menotti, known as El Flaco. "It was a very good afternoon."Central have 15 points - five wins and a defeat - from six games, one ahead of Independiente who beat Velez Sarsfield 2-1.Striker Hernan Franco scored Independiente’s winner in the 82nd minute but spoiled his afternoon when he was sent off in injury time after picking up a second yellow card for time-wasting.Independiente - making a dramatic improvement after a dismal first half of the year - had taken a second minute lead through Andres Silvera. Velez striker Roberto Nanni equalised on the hour. River dropped to third after their stunning defeat.Huracan, bottom of the table at the start of play and without a coach following Miguel Brinidisi’s resignation last week, went ahead in the 26th minute through Juan Carlos Padra and added a second 10 minutes from time through Juan Carlos Padra. (Reuters)
