No crowd but lots of goals as San Lorenzo crush Lanus 4-0
ByReuters
Published 29/03/2015 at 03:25 GMT
San Lorenzo, playing behind closed doors as punishment for fan violence, made light of the lack of atmosphere to crush Lanus 4-0 and go top of the Argentine first division on Saturday.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Striker Mauro Matos scored twice and also earned a penalty at a silent Nuevo Gasometro, where a linesman had been hit by a bottle thrown from the stands at a match last month.
Lanus midfielder Victor Ayala had a third-minute penalty saved, Matos scored either side of halftime, Julio Buffarini converted the Saints' 58th-minute penalty and Martin Cauteruccio completed the rout.
It was the second match the Saints had to play behind closed doors because of crowd trouble this season after they were punished for fans setting off fireworks during their victorious Copa Libertadores final last year.
That sanction in early March affected their defence of South America's top club trophy as they lost 2-1 at home to Brazil's Corinthians but they now seem to be finding their best form.
San Lorenzo host Sao Paulo in the Libertadores on Wednesday looking to bounce back from conceding a last-minute goal to them in a 1-0 defeat in Brazil.
"The team are growing and the results help to keep our ego well up there," coach Edgardo Bauza told reporters.
"But if we don't win on Wednesday we'll go out of the Cup.
"The team haven't reached their ceiling yet but you can see their hunger. They worked very hard in an atypical match," added Bauza of playing without a crowd.
San Lorenzo, with 18 points from seven matches in the Argentine championship, snatched the lead from Rosario Central, who are now a point behind after being held 1-1 at home by Colon on Friday.
Boca Juniors can join Central on 17 points if they beat Estudiantes at La Bombonera on Sunday.
Godoy Cruz also had to play their home match in Mendoza, a 2-2 draw with Independiente, behind closed doors as punishment after an object was thrown from the stands and hit Lanus masseur Juan Franco two weeks ago.
Franco had to be taken to hospital where he had surgery on a detached retina.
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