■ARGENTINA
Win sends Boca clear
Boca Juniors won 2-1 at San Martin-Tucuman to go two points clear at the top of the championship on Sunday as their rivals slipped up. Boca, who began the weekend one point behind San Lorenzo and Tigre, took full advantage after the two teams lost 3-1 to Lanus and Estudiantes respectively. Lucas Viatri put Boca ahead in the 36th minute when he tapped in an easy chance after Alvaro Gonzalez pulled the ball back from the byline. Raul Saavedra equalized for Tucuman with a long-range shot in the 59th minute but Boca regained the lead three minutes later when Luciano Figueroa volleyed in from Juan Roman Riquelme’s free kick. Juan Sebastian Veron gave Estudiantes an eighth-minute lead from a free kick against Tigre. Veron also set up the second for Ivan Moreno y Fabianesi on the half hour before Leandro Benitez added a third in the 90th minute. Carlos Luna headed one back in stoppage-time for Tigre. With three matches to play, Boca lead with 32 points followed by San Lorenzo and Tigre on 30 and Lanus on 28. Titleholders River Plate dropped back to the bottom after losing 2-1 at home to Argentinos Juniors.
■BRAZIL
Sao Paulo survive hostility
Sao Paulo survived a hostile reception at Vasco da Gama to win 2-1 on Sunday and move closer to their third successive championship title. Vasco fans attempted to stone the Sao Paulo bus as it arrive at their Sao Januario stadium and there was also a row between officials when the visitors were initially banned from warming up on the pitch. Media also said the visitors found their dressing-room door locked when they arrived and had to force it open. “We just want to give Sao Paulo the same treatment that everyone receives in all the stadiums,” Vasco president Roberto Dinamite said. Midfielder Jorge Wagner gave Sao Paulo the lead in the 21st minute when he found the top corner with a free kick from the edge of the area. Madson rifled in a long-range shot to equalize nine minutes later but Sao Paulo regained the lead at the start of the second half when Hugo scored following a corner. The defeat left Vasco rooted in the relegation zone with two matches to play. Sao Paulo increased their lead at the top to five points over Gremio and need only one more win to clinch the title.
■PORTUGAL
Benfica stay unbeaten
Benfica maintained their unbeaten league start on Sunday with two first-half goals for a 2-0 victory over Academica to keep hold of second spot in the league. Rubem Amorim opened for the Eagles in the 31st minute before Oscar Cardozo netted his fifth of the season through a 47th-minute penalty as Benfica stretched their winning streak to four games. Benfica improved to 21 points to stay one point behind leader Leixoes, who ensured they stayed top of the table after nine rounds with a 2-1 victory over Rio Ave on Friday.
■UNITED STATES
Crew win MLS Cup final
Argentina’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto set up all three Columbus goals as the Crew downed the New York Red Bulls 3-1 to win the MLS Cup Final on Sunday. Alejandro Moreno scored in the first half for Columbus and, after New York leveled early in the second, Chad Marshall and Frankie Hejduk added goals for the Crew. “It’s a very emotional moment for me, winning this game here in LA in front of family and friends. And, to be quite honest, the town that I was fired in,” Columbus coach Sigi Schmid said. Schmid won the MLS Cup in 2002 as coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, who fired him in 2004.
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