Soccer-River on brink of title after breaking away jinx
By Rex Gowar BUENOS AIRES, May 12 (Reuters) - Despite the drizzle and slippery pitch at the Diego Armando Maradona ground, it was a perfect Sunday for River Plate who beat Argentinos Juniors 2-0 to take a two-point lead with one match to go in the Argentine Final championship on Sunday. It was only River's second away win of the year after the 'superclasico' victory over Boca Juniors eight weeks ago but it took full advantage of Gimnasia's 2-0 defeat at Quilmes after they had started the day equal-top with River. Right back Gabriel Mercado pushed home in the 69th minute after a free kick taken by midfielder Manuel Lanzini deflected off the post. Nine minutes later Colombia striker Teofilo Gutierrez added a cheeky second through goalkeeper Nereo Champagne's legs to secure the victory for coach Ramon Diaz's team. River have 34 points from 18 matches, two more points than Juan Sebastian Veron's Estudiantes and three more than Gimnasia. Their recent run of seven home wins in a row suggests they can beat Quilmes at the Monumental next Sunday and lift their first title since 2008 when Diego Simeone was in charge. Quilmes may not play with the same combative edge they showed beating Gimnasia after Sunday's win saved them from relegation. A draw may also be enough for River if Estudiantes fail to win at Tigre. VERON SENDOFF Veron played a key role when Estudiantes beat title holders San Lorenzo, winners of the Inicial championship in the first half of the season, 3-0 in La Plata on Saturday to go top for 24 hours. The 39-year-old Veron, retiring after the last round of matches next weekend, was given a resounding home farewell by the Estudiantes fans at the end of his last match at La Plata's Estadio Unico. San Lorenzo, who have set their hearts on winning the South American Libertadores Cup for the first time and rested several first choice players for Wednesday's second leg of their quarter-final tie away to Brazil's Cruzeiro, lost any hopes they had of retaining the crown. Veron's former Argentina team mate Gabriel Heinze was also on the winning side in his last home match for Newell's Old Boys, who beat relegated All Boys 4-2 in his penultimate match before retiring. Winger Maxi Rodriguez, almost certainly bound for his third World Cup finals with Argentina in Brazil next month, made a good return for Newell's from a month-long injury absence with their fourth goal. Striker Mauro Zarate, on loan from Lazio, scored both goals in Velez Sarsfield's 2-0 win over Colon and leads the scorers' list with 11. (Editing by Ian Ransom)
