Title within reach for Newell's

Jun 18, 2013 - 3:06 PM Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sports Network) - Newell's took a giant step toward clinching Argentina's Clausura title on Sunday with a 3-0 victory over Atletico Rafaela.

Ignacio Scocco missed a first-half penalty kick for Newell's, but the club rebounded to score three times in the final 25 minutes with Oscar Carniello's own goal putting Newell's in front before Victor Figueroa and Maximiliano Urruti each added goals for the leaders.

The win, combined with River Plate's 5-1 defeat at the hands of Lanus, leaves Newell's six points clear at the top of the league, and the club will clinch the title on Wednesday unless Lanus is able to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the second half against Estudiantes in a match that was suspended.

Lanus jumped out to a 4-1 lead on River Plate in the first 27 minutes of the match, and Ismael Blanco scored for the second time shortly after the break to seal the win.

Also on Sunday, Boca Juniors climbed off the bottom of the league with a 1-0 home win against 10-man Arsenal, which had Gustavo Alfaro sent off just before halftime. Walter Erviti scored the lone goal 15 minutes from time for Boca, while Racing downed All Boys, 1-0, through Luciano Vietto's second-half tally and Union played to a 1-1 draw with Velez Sarsfield.

Argentinos Juniors briefly moved out of last place on Saturday with a 1-0 home victory against Colon, Jorge Luna and Sebastian Penco netted goals for San Martin in a 2-0 triumph over Estudiantes, San Lorenzo topped Independiente, 1-0 and Friday's lone match ended in a 0-0 draw between Tigre and Belgrano.

On Monday, Quiles and Godoy Cruz played to a 0-0 draw to remain level in the Clausura table.