Independiente fly high, Ortega torments River Plate (6 Feb 2006 20:29 GMT)
Independiente joined Estudiantes and Colon at the top of Argentina's Clausura table following a 1-0 win over San Lorenzo on Sunday.
Striker Eduardo Bustos Montoya scored the decisive goal after 10 minutes, and San Lorenzo were unable to find a way through the disciplined home defence.
Independiente moved up to seven points with three games played, the same as Estudiantes and Colon.
San Lorenzo's second successive defeat left a cloud of uncertainty over the future of head of coach Gustavo Alfaro.
Boca Juniors' emphatic 3-0 win over Lanus underlined their improving form, strikers Martin Palermo and Rodrigo Palacio getting on the scoresheet after defender Matias Silvestre opened his side's account.
Newell's Old Boys' mercurial midfielder Ariel Ortega was the architect of an impressive 3-1 win over his former club River Plate.
Ortega, who played 86 games for Argentina, scored a goal to compliment two strikes by Ignacio Socorro. Ortega was the subject of recent speculation about a possible move back to River Plate, and he made apologetic gestures to their fans after scoring his goal.
Newell's Old Boys won the 2004 Apertura championship shortly after signing Ortega, but struggled for form in 2005.
River Plate's cause was undermined by the first-half dismissal of goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo following a clash with Socorro. Injuries to Oscar Ahumada and Danilo Gerlo made matters worse.
Insitituto lost a third successive game, 2-0 at Olimpo, increasing the pressure on coach Ariel Cuffaro Russo.
source : Yahoo (Gareth Chetwynd)