logo
Platense claim first Argentine Apertura title after 1-0 win over Huracan

Platense claim first Argentine Apertura title after 1-0 win over Huracan

Reuters01-06-2025

SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO, Argentina, June 1 (Reuters) - Platense secured their first Argentine Apertura tournament title on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Huracan thanks to a second-half goal from Guido Mainero.
In a tense match at the packed Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, Huracan dominated the early stages.
Agustin Urzi drove them forward in the first half, while Eric Ramirez came closest to scoring with a header from a Matko Miljevic cross.
Platense, who surprised many by sneaking into the knockout stages with a sixth-place finish in Group B, broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark. Mainero's long-range shot, capitalising on a rebound after Huracan goalkeeper Hernan Galindez failed to hold onto the ball, ultimately secured the win.
The victory is Platense's first major trophy since their promotion to the top flight in 2021.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'An incredible finisher' - practice makes perfect for Echeverri
'An incredible finisher' - practice makes perfect for Echeverri

BBC News

time43 minutes ago

  • BBC News

'An incredible finisher' - practice makes perfect for Echeverri

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gave full debuts to Rayan Ait-Nouri and Claudio Echeverri in Sunday's handsome victory at the Club World Cup - and both impressed.A 6-0 thrashing of UAE side Al-Ain sent City through to the last 16 with a game to spare, making it back-to-back clean sheets and eight goals struggles last season were partly down to a lengthy injury list and needing to deploy players in unfamiliar positions such as Nico O'Reilly at left-back, with the academy player more accustomed to playing in the acquisition of impressive Algerian Ait-Nouri will provide more balance down the left and goalscorer Echeverri showed why he could be a decent squad option this Stefan Ortega, said of Echeverri: "He reminds me a bit of Julian Alvarez - same type of player, his finishing is incredible"He is a really good guy, a bit shy in the beginning but I think he can help us a lot." Hardworking Echeverri City's latest Argentine star? City's affinity with attacking players from Argentina has seen some go down in the club's record Aguero provided the most memorable and dramatic moment of their first Premier League title success, Carlos Tevez famously moved to the club having previously played for rivals Manchester United, while Julian Alvarez's £81m transfer to Atletico Madrid is their most expensive may now have a future star on his hands in teenager Echeverri, who hails from the South American country that produced footballing greats Lionel Messi and Diego signed for City in January 2024 but remained at River Plate on loan for another year and was given a surprise debut as a substitute in May's FA Cup final defeat by Crystal 19-year-old played only 45 minutes of City's rout on Sunday, but caught the eye with a sublime free-kick on his first start for the said: "Since he arrived and [in] the three or four months with us, at the end of training sessions he was practising free-kicks with the goalkeeper, wall and alone. "The other ones did not practise. He was practising and practising and the work pays off. "Fantastic goal and incredible player. He could not continue after half-time because of a problem with the ankle, but the free-kick was really good."Guardiola has made clear he wants to work with a smaller squad. The out-of-favour trio of Grealish, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips appear to have no futures at the club, while James McAtee was not selected for the Spaniard needs to further trim his playing personnel from the 27 that are currently in the United States, but Echeverri may have given his manager a headache about whether to keep him with the squad this season or sanction a loan move away. 'Intelligent' Ait-Nouri displays attacking impetus City have been without a recognised left-back since the departure of Benjamin Mendy, but Guardiola seems to have found the perfect solution."Wow," said Guardiola of Ait-Nouri's performance. "He had to defend a back four, then make a back five. He played really, really good, not for the first time."It was his first game but he has played in the Premier League for many years."Playing at the incredible Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ait-Nouri showcased the class he possesses with driving runs up and down the left played the full game and highlighted why he will be such an asset with a total of 92 touches of the ball, including seven in the opposition box, second only to Erling Norwegian, who scored from the penalty spot and missed numerous other chances, will be relishing getting on the end of some of Ait-Nouri's whipped 24-year-old could have scored in the first half when he cut inside and beat a couple of defenders, but lost his footing at the vital said: "He can help us play in that role outside but then had to play as a holding midfielder and go into the pockets. He moves really well into the spaces."He is intelligent and clear to defend and take the ball. He is so clever in the final third, taking the right decisions to create more spaces. Really pleased for the game he played."His statistics while at Wolves show what he will add to this City side and why the £31m fee could turn out to be a season, Ait-Nouri led the way for defenders with the most goal involvements (11) in the Premier League - in total he scored nine goals and provided 19 assists in five seasons at attacking capabilities are further enhanced by the fact only three other full-backs created more chances last term and only West Ham's Aaron Wan-Bissaka completed more dribbles than Ait Nouri's helped ensure City progressed into the knockout stages and they will be aiming to seal top spot in their final group game against Juventus on Thursday.

Drogba 2.0, frogs and Dragon Ball Z - who is Forest 'target' Igor Jesus?
Drogba 2.0, frogs and Dragon Ball Z - who is Forest 'target' Igor Jesus?

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

Drogba 2.0, frogs and Dragon Ball Z - who is Forest 'target' Igor Jesus?

A darting run between two centre-backs, a timely nutmeg to make some room and then a cool deflected finish into the bottom Jesus stands on the advertising boards with his arms outstretched in front of the Botafogo fans. Friday's winner against European champions Paris St-Germain was a moment to days earlier he was also on target for the Brazilian Serie A champions against Seattle Jesus, 24, has been named player of the match in both games at the Club World is arguably the breakout player in the tournament so far and will get another chance to impress against Atletico Madrid. He is nicknamed Little Frog, is a huge fan of the Anime series Dragon Ball Z and has been heavily linked with a move to Premier League side Nottingham Forest. Who is Igor Jesus? Jesus got his nickname 'Sapinho', meaning Little Frog, from his grandfather when he was a child. Depending on who you ask,, external it's either because he made acrobatic saves as a goalkeeper, or because he had a very small body and a very big would also occasionally skip school to watch Japanese cartoon Dragon Ball the show, protagonist Goku defeats baddies with a special move called Kamehameha which Jesus honours with his usual celebration of putting his wrists together, opening his palms and locking his arms out perpendicularly in front of him. He's had a lot of chances to perfect it. In 206 professional appearances he's netted 70 started his career at Coritiba, a then Serie-B side based in Brazil's eighth largest an 18-year-old he scored three goals in 24 appearances to help Coritiba secure after initially struggling at a higher level, he left midway through the following campaign to join Emirati side Shabab spent four seasons in the Middle East, scoring 46 goals in 92 games, before returning to Brazil by joining Botafogo in July he's excelled. He led the line as his side lifted the Serie A and Copa Libertadores titles last the scouting departments at numerous club around the world are on high even made his Brazil debut last October, scoring in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win in difficult conditions in American football expert Tim Vickery called him, external "the modern-day Drogba" after his goal against PSG, a side who had thrashed Inter Milan in the Champions League final just 20 days before. What could Jesus offer Nottingham Forest? Jesus has been heavily linked with Nottingham Forest for a while Botafogo team-mates, defenders Jair Cunha and Cuiabano, are also reportedly attracting interest from the Premier League PSG, Botafogo had just 25.3% possession, and relied on Jesus' hold-up play and ability to create chances out of seemingly to Opta,, external Jesus had the third-most touches of any Botafogo player (49) - remarkable for a centre-forward when his team had so little of the also contested a team-high 16 duels and won five aerial they took on Seattle, Botafogo often went long. Despite being 5ft 10in (1.78m) Jesus won six of his seven aerial duals in that game, while his winner was a game suits Forest's style of play, where he would also offer a bit more mobility than current talisman Chris Wood. After nutmegging Willian Pacho and beating Gianluigi Donnarumma on the world stage, Jesus might be preparing for a jump to the next given his nickname of 'Little Frog', it might be more of a hop.

Lions cheerleaders need some perspective
Lions cheerleaders need some perspective

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

Lions cheerleaders need some perspective

The British and Irish Lions is one of the strongest and wealthiest rugby brands on the planet. Founded on the mystique of long, distant and barely reported overseas tours, it remains a celebrated anomaly in the rugby calendar. From the height of Corinthian amateurism, it has accommodated rugby's move to professionalism with an uncredited ease but with this has come a change in atmosphere; the mystical has become the public. The unique scarceness has been replaced by the present penchant for presentation; all must be revealed. This tour already has, and will continue to be, well gassed (that means hyped, for older readers). This was nowhere more apparent than around the Lions' opening fixture against Argentina last Friday in Dublin. With the entire Lions' royalty of past players and coaches featuring boldly in the build-up and in-match coverage, the narrow loss to the Pumas was somewhat deflating. It is said that every expectation is a disappointment waiting to happen and this highlights a challenge with covering the tour. There must be balance and not oscillation between celebrating tradition, and cloying sentimentality and cliché. All concerned need to get a bit of perspective. I realise the current fad is for hyperbole and instant judgment but one missed tackle by Henry Pollock, which led to a brilliantly finished try for Argentina, does not mean Pollock has a weakness in that area. This has not played him out of contention for the Test squad any more than a later outstanding turnover has played him in. The problem for players and supporters comes from the fact there are so few games before the announcement of the first Test squad. The PACE from Cordero ⚡️ Argentina hit back ‼️ — Sky Sports (@SkySports) June 20, 2025 How does coach Andy Farrell judge the merits of a player when he only gets to see them in two or three games before making his decision? The truth is that this is impossible, and this is why he will already have some idea of his preferred first Test squad. He and his selectors and coaches have been watching these players for a long time and are aware of their abilities and weaknesses. What they are seeking is confirmation of fitness and form and to receive definitive evidence that an untried combination does or does not work. When it comes to this, what separates great coaches from others, is understanding how to interpret successes and failures because both can be valuable. With a limited number of opening games, Farrell has to try to give every player the impression they have been given at least one game where they play in a sufficiently experienced and talented starting XV to press their claims. Tour unity depends on players believing they have been treated fairly, even though the reality is that there must already be some presumptions within the coaching and selection teams. Being realistic about the Argentina game means acknowledging the Pumas played very well and that their half-backs were outstanding. The timing of the Lions' set strike moves broke down under game pressure and as a team they were neither sufficiently physical nor patient at crucial times. The same players, who would have undoubtedly gone through the phases in their country's jersey, tried to pull off a magic play rather than hanging on to the ball. Therein lies the problem for the players when it comes to making their case in so short a time. The instinct is to try and impress whenever the possibility arises, but with that comes errors. You are more likely to press a Test claim by doing your job solidly than attempting the improbable. In the maelstrom of a game, under the pressure to make an instant decision, that is difficult to always remember. The firmest conclusions you could draw from the Argentina loss are that Ellis Genge confirmed his growing reputation as a scrummager and ball carrier, and that Marcus Smith can play at full-back but that is not his best position. Beyond that, not much should be asserted with confidence. What is just as likely to exercise Farrell and his coaching and selection teams over the initial tour games are injuries. This is what sets tournament and tour coaching aside from domestic competitions. The ability to react to circumstance has been made progressively more acute and that is also why the Lions will have a sports regulation expert on hand to cover any disciplinary problems that arise. The next few weeks are going to be full, if not overfull, of analysis and comment from every kind of media and this is where a note of caution should be sounded. We all want the Lions to succeed, but this should not be at the expense of objectivity. Punditry and colour-commentary needs to be detached. These are not cheerleading roles.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store