Unpredictable Argentine Clausura Reaches Stretch Run

With five rounds left to play, the Argentine Clausura is heating up to be a classic yet again. Each tournament, it seems the excitement reaches a higher level, and the current edition has been no different.

For football fans accustomed to watching the big European leagues, watching the Argentine Primera would be shocking, but also a breath of fresh air, for here the winner does not automatically come from a "big club."

After a thrilling round of matches, there are two leaders: Godoy Cruz and Argentinos Juniors. Godoz Cruz, a small club from the city of Mendoza, the heart of Argentina's flourishing wine industry, arrived in the first division of Argentine Football for the first time in 2006, before suffering demotion, and later another promotion a year later. 

Led by the strike partnership of Federico Higuain (the brother of Real Madrid's Gonzalo) and Cesar Carranza, "El Tomba" was expected to fall by the wayside after a good start, but was able to take advantage of a loss by Independiente, one of the traditional "Big Five" clubs of Argentine Football, who had been the leader and favorite of the tournament. 

"El Rojo," managed by 1978 World Cup winner Americo Gallego and inspired by goalkeeper Adrian Gabbarinni appeared to be in the driver's seat until a shocking defeat at the hands of another big club, San Lorenzo.

San Lorenzo had been in crisis after coach Diego Simeone left the club following a string of poor results, but put together a strong defensive performance under new manager Sebastian Mendez.

After Independiente's slip up, Godoy Cruz routed Tigre 6-2 in Mendoza briefly taking a one point lead before Argentinos Juniors topped Colon de Santa Fe 3-1 Monday night.

Argentinos is far from a likely contender for the title, but also far from the obscurity of Godoy Cruz.

Diego Maradona made his professional debut for the club in 1976 before finishing as Argentina's leading scorer for five consecutive tournaments. 

Following Maradona's brilliant career with the club, it achieved the ultimate prize by winning the Copa Libertadoes in 1985. 

Hot on the heels of Godoy Cruz and Argentinos is reigning South America champion and World Club Cup runners up, Estudiantes de La Plate, who thumped Racing 4-0 and sit just one point off the pace.

With out suspended captain Juan Sebastian Veron and the injured Mauro Boselli, the leading scorer of the tournament, "La Pincha" got a brilliantly balanced team victory, with Jose Sosa, on loan from Bayern Munich, opening the scoring with a well taken free kick before a double from Leandro Gonzalez and a strike from right back Clemente Rodriguez ensured the "goleada" was on. 

Estudiantes at times appear like a well-oiled machine, and unlike most Argentine clubs, they have the depth to fight for titles on two fronts (in the Copa Libertadores and domestic leagues). 

While the title is being fought out, Argentine's two biggest and most successful clubs, Boca Juniors and River Plate find themselves in crisis and illusions of the title long since dissipated. 

Boca parted ways with coach Abel Alves after a defeat in Santa Fe at the hands of Colon, and under Tito Pompei "Los Xeneizes" thrashed Arsenal 4-0 at La Bombonera thanks to a talismanic performance from Juan Roman Riquelme.

The former Barcelona and Villareal star has been rumoured to be on his way out of Boca, but he put the transfer speculation behind him, setting up Martin Palermo's opener, his 219th goal for Boca making him the club's all time leading scorer. 

Riquelme later scored a sensational goal of his own, finishing a solo run from a nearly impossible angle, before Nicolas Gaitan presented Palermo with an open net and an easy finish for goal number 220.

After a puzzling scoreless draw at bottom side Atletico Tucuman, River followed Boca's foot steps, as President Daniel Passarella, a champion with River as a coach and player, fired manager Leonardo Astrada.

In his place comes Angel Cappa, the ex-manager of Huracan who helped development Palermo's star Javier Pastore and Fiorentina's Mario Bolatti, both of whom are likely to make Argentina's World Cup squad.

Passarella and the River fans must have faith that Cappa can discover diamonds in the rough at River as he did with Huracan while trying to get the most out of aging legends Ariel Ortega, Marcelo Gallardo, and Matias Almeyda before they retire.

There is no doubt the reinforcements will be brought in during the winter break, but until then, River must attempt achieve every point possible with little help.