Latest Argentina Soccer News

TORONTO (CP) _ Colour the FIFA U-20 World Cup light blue yet again. An 86th-minute goal Sunday by Mauro Zarate gave Argentina a 2-1 comeback victory over the Czech Republic and the FIFA U-20 World Cup title for the sixth time. Zarate's low angled shot through traffic from the edge of the penalty box handcuffed goalkeeper Radek Petr, who was beaten to the short side. Sergio Aguero also scored for Argentina in the 62nd minute, cancelling out a ...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) _ Rodrigo Palacio scored two goals as Boca Juniors beat Velez Sarsfield 3-1 on Sunday to join San Lorenzo for a share of first place in the Argentine Clausura tournament. Unbeaten through its first eight outings, San Lorenzo fell by a 2-1 margin to Estudiantes in the ninth round of the championship. The first loss for San Lorenzo, which is now 7-1-1, means it shares 22 ...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) _ Argentine soccer hero Diego Maradona remained sedated in a clinic Thursday for treatment of alcoholism and excessive eating and smoking. A day after Maradona was taken by ambulance to the Guemes Sanatorium, clinic director Hector Pezzella said the 47-year-old former star was under sedation to avoid problems with withdrawal from alcohol. He said Maradona's life was not in danger, that he remained in stable condition ...

River Plate's teenage striker Gonzalo Higuain could soon be joining Real Madrid. ``I'm going to Madrid to continue talks on Higuain's move to (Real) Madrid,'' River's treasurer Hector Grinberg told Radio Marca. River is reportedly demanding 12 million euros (C$18.3 million) for Higuain, who scored his final goal of the Argentine league season in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Velez Sarsfield. The striker, who turned 19 the same day, was presented ...

Boca Juniors beat Colon 4-1 at home Sunday with the twin daughters of U.S. President George W. Bush watching from the stands as Argentina's front-runner moved within a whisker of clinching the Apertura title. Jenna and Barbara Bush, wearing blue-and-yellow Boca jerseys, watched from the official team box at Boca's ``La Bombonera'' stadium as the host easily trounced its rival in the 17th outing of the Apertura season. Former Boca ...

Fans of visiting first-division teams have been banned from all stadiums for the rest of Argentina's season in a bid by the national soccer federation to crack down on surging fan violence. The unprecedented decision late Tuesday by the federation known as AFA allows only each home club's local ticket-holders and members into matches, and bars visiting fans, who have been singled out by many as the chief source of ...

France will play Argentina for the first time in 20 years in a friendly at Stade de France in St. Denis, France, on Feb. 7. The French soccer federation also said Friday that the two teams would meet again for another friendly, likely to be in 2009. France last played Argentina in March 1986 in a friendly at Parc des Princes, which France won 2-0. Argentina beat France 2-1 in ...

Argentine World Cup hero Diego Maradona is scheduled to play in friendly matches next week in Honduras and El Salvador at events known as ``Showbol,'' a seven-a-side, small-field exhibition, organizers said on Friday. Maradona's plans to participate were confirmed via telephone by Alejandro Mancuso, the Argentine's agent. Maradona was expected to arrive on Friday in San Salvador, El Salvador, but his plane was delayed by weather, and his match in the country was rescheduled for Oct. 28, said ...

The arrival of Argentina stars Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano hasn't done much for West Ham. The Hammers have lost five games in a row without scoring a goal and have already been ousted from the UEFA Cup, with Alan Pardew's new signings making little impact. Without a victory since the opening day of the season, West Ham is 16th in the 20-team standings and faces uncertainty off the field ...

Spain hopes to avoid its fourth defeat in six games when it hosts two-time World Cup champion Argentina in a friendly Wednesday. The home team and its beleaguered coach Luis Aragones badly need an encouraging result from a match which will inaugurate La Nueva Condomina stadium in the southeastern city of Murcia. Aragones' problems increased Saturday when Spain lost 2-0 to Sweden in a European Championship qualifier, leaving the team ...

Argentine manager Miguel Angel Lopez assumed control of Atletico Junior of Barranquilla on Monday, the sixth time he has been appointed to run the team in 28 years. Lopez replaces Montenegrin Dragan Miranovic, who was dismissed as manager of the Tiburon after it lost 1-0 to America de Cali on Sunday, its second loss in three games and third round without a victory. The club dropped to ninth place with ...