BUENOS AIRES, May 18 (Reuters) – Boca Juniors ended a record worst run of 12 successive league defeats with a 1-0 win over Colon but Juan Manuel Martinez’s scream in celebration fell on deaf ears in La Bombonera on Saturday.

The Argentine ‘Final’ championship match was played behind closed doors at Boca’s stadium, renowed for its usually defeaning atmosphere, after crowd trouble by fans during their “superclasico” against River Plate two weeks ago.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina’s 2011 World Cup captain Felipe Contepomi, who has just retired from professional club rugby, was named on Thursday in Argentina’s squad to face England and Georgia in the June test window.

Contepomi, who plays at flyhalf or centre, ended his European club career at Stade Francais but expressed a wish to play again for Argentina this year.

BUENOS AIRES, May 16 (Reuters) – Argentina’s 2011 World Cup captain Felipe Contepomi, who has just retired from profesional club rugby, was named on Thursday in Argentina’s squad to face England and Georgia in the June test window.

Contepomi, who plays at flyhalf or centre, ended his European club career at Stade Francais but expressed a wish to play again for Argentina this year.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Juan Roman Riquelme’s brilliant strike helped send holders Corinthians crashing out of the Libertadores Cup on Wednesday after Boca Juniors battled to a 1-1 draw in Sao Paulo to seal a quarter-finals berth.

Boca, who won the first leg 1-0 at La Bombonera, advanced 2-1 on aggregate to an all-Argentine tie against Rosario-based Newell’s Old Boys with the first leg in Buenos Aires next Thursday.

BUENOS AIRES, May 15 (Reuters) – Defending champions Corinthians crashed out of the Libertadores Cup on Wednesday after a 1-1 draw at home in the second leg of their last 16 tie against Boca Juniors saw them lose 2-1 on aggregate.

Juan Roman Riquelme scored with a brilliant looping shot from near the right touchline to give Boca, 1-0 winners of the first leg in Buenos Aires, the lead in the 25th minute.

BUENOS AIRES, May 12 (Reuters) – Argentine giants Independiente took another small but potentially crucial step in their fight against relegation while denting Lanus’s title aspirations in a 0-0 draw on Sunday.

Dropping two points at home prevented Lanus from reclaming the lead in the “Final” championship they lost to Newell’s Old Boys, who beat Godoy Cruz 3-1 on Saturday.

BUENOS AIRES, May 8 (Reuters) – Ronaldinho set the tone and Jo scored the goals as Atletico Mineiro lived up to their billing as Libertadores Cup favourites with a crushing 6-2 aggregate win over fellow Brazilians Sao Paulo on Wednesday.

Atletico won 4-1 on the night to advance to a quarter-finals along with Brazilian champions Fluminense, who won 2-0 to edge their duel with Ecuador’s Emelec 3-2.

BUENOS AIRES, May 5 (Reuters) – Crowd violence marred the biggest match of the Argentine league season at La Bombonera on Sunday after River Plate scored the fastest goal in a “superclasico” before being held 1-1 by Boca Juniors.

Midfielder Manuel Lanzini rose between Boca’s central defenders to head River into the lead after 45 seconds from winger Carlos Sanchez’s right cross.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Boca Juniors appear to have recovered their fighting spirit just in time for the “superclasico” at home to arch enemies River Plate at La Bombonera on Sunday.

A gutsy 1-0 home win over holders Corinthians in the Libertadores Cup on Wednesday has lifted the gloom at Boca after 10 league matches and three months without a victory.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Some facts and background surrounding the “superclasico” derby between Boca Juniors and River Plate.

* Superclasico is the name for the biggest derby in Argentine football which has numerous “clasicos”. The next biggest in Buenos Aires is Independiente against Racing Club in the suburb of Avellaneda.