Argentina Football Fans

Boca Juniors are champions of Argentina -- and they owe it to the goalkeeper of River Plate, their great rivals. This league campaign has been so full of ebbs and flows that it could not have fittingly come to a quiet end.

After 26 rounds of the Wacky Races, the final round could not be a mere lap of honour for the Victor's. Six teams had been in contention. One by one they all fell by the wayside, until just two were left, and on the last Sunday, Boca Juniors led Racing by a point.

Both sides were at home, and by some strange quirk of fate, each met the historical rivals of the other. Boca were up against Independiente, while Racing faced River Plate. This led to an immediate question: Would Independiente or River bother too much? There was nothing in the game for them. Why sweat their way through the last game of the season when a win would only benefit their rivals? Perhaps, then, the opposition would go on early holiday -- which clearly worked to the benefit of Boca. That one point lead meant that Boca's fate was in their own hands; win -- against opponents of doubtful motivation -- and they would be champions.

Thankfully, for the honour of football, neither Independiente nor River Plate had read that script. What followed were two hard fought matches, played at the same time, with the destiny of the title still in question deep into stoppage time. There was one enticing possibility -- that the teams would finish level on points, thus necessitating a midweek playoff to decide matters. It seemed unlikely. The only way it could happen was for Boca to lose while Racing drew.

But the chance became real in the first half, when Boca conceded a penalty, coolly converted for Independiente by Leandro Fernandez. With Racing and River still goalless, the playoff was on. But just two minutes later Boca were level, a free kick whipped in by Oscar Romero glanced inside the far corner by Pol Fernandez.