Not-so-friendly clash ends with six red cards

BUENOS AIRES: Boca Juniors and River Plate showed they do not need to play for points to become embroiled in a match full of incident and controversy after three coaches and three players were sent off in this weekend’s “superclasico” friendly.

River won 2-0 in the traditional annual clash between the great Argentine rivals at the seaside resort of Mar del Plata, a fixture which takes place during the summer break in the season.

A penalty by striker Sebastian Driussi and Ecuadorean defender Arturo Mina’s header in the space of eight second-half minutes sealed the result.

Boca coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto was sent off near the end of the first half for dissent.

His twin and No 2 Gustavo and River coach Marcelo Gallardo followed him to the stands for bringing their teams out from the half-time break well past the 15-minute deadline, a rule referees regularly enforce in Argentina.

World Cup referee Nestor Pitana then sent off Driussi and Boca’s Dario Benedetto and Juan Insaurralde following a free-for-all involving both teams 10 minutes from full-time after a River player was brought down.

The win was a measure of revenge for River after they suffered a 4-2 home defeat in the league in December when a brilliant Carlos Tevez scored twice in one of his last games for Boca before his multi-million dollar move to China.

River face Lanus in the Argentine Supercup next Saturday before the league championship resumes the following weekend. Boca are top on 31 points from 14 matches, while River are seventh with 22. – Reuters