The battle for the First Division championship Clausura tournament remained evenly poised for Huracán and Vélez Sarsfield after yesterday's results although Lanús dropped out. For the last fixture between the two main contenders Huracán have the advantage of only needing a draw to stay ahead of Vélez but their rivals will be on home ground.

Yesterday a draw was good enough to keep Vélez well in contention. Tying 1-1 away to Lanús while playing a man short was almost as good as a win and just as effective in knocking Lanús out of the title race (three points behind it, Lanús would still be in it were it not for the fact that somebody will have to win points in the final Vélez-Huracán showdown).

In the first half, Vélez generally outplayed an uncertain Lanús missing its suspended playmaker Sebastián Blanco but it was the home team who took the lead via the prolific José Sand in the 32nd minute. With the woodwork frustrating Vélez at the end of the first half and the expulsion of Fabián Cubero right at the start of the first, it did not seem to be the Liniers team's day but it was the turn of Vélez to score against the run of play in the second half with Uruguayan Hernán López converting a brainless Emir Faccioli penalty in the 69th minute. A brilliant Vélez goalie Germán Montoya then preserved the tie, which was sealed by Faccioli's expulsion in the 87th minute.

Huracán thrashed a defensive Arsenal of Sarandí 3-0 at home, dominating the match well before Cristian Pellerano was sent off in the 24th minute although they did not open the scoring until Mario Bolatti's head glanced home a Patricio Toranzo free kick in the 37th minute. Late goals by Toranzo and Matías De Federico (80th and 82nd minutes) were more necessary to reflect Huracán's superiority than to clinch the result.

Results & standings
Results of the 18th round: Boca 1 Gimnasia (LP) 2; Estudiantes 1 Colón (SF) 3; Godoy Cruz 1 River 0; Huracán 3 Arsenal 0; Lanús 1 Vélez 1; Tigre 0 Rosario Central 1 Gimnasia (Jujuy) 0; Racing Club 2 Independiente 0; San Lorenzo 1; Argentinos Jrs 1 Banfield 1; Newell's OB 0 San Martin (Tucuman) 1.

LEADING GOALSCORERS: 12 - Esteban Fuertes (Colón), Daniel Montenegro (Independiente).
Bottom relegation: Gimnasia (LP) 1.132; San Martín 1.081; Gimnasia (J) (*) 1.026.
(*): Team relegated.

Next round on Friday 26 June at 6.30pm: Arsenal v Independiente, Banfield v Tigre; Rosario v Godoy Cruz; River v Estudiantes; Colón v Boca; Gimnasia (LP) v Gimnasia (J); Racing v Newell's ; San Martín v Lanús; Vélez v Huracán; San Lorenzo v Argentinos.

First Division A. Clausura tournament

P W D L F A Pts
Huracán 18 12 2 4 35 18 38
Vélez 18 10 7 1 28 13 37
Lanús 18 11 2 5 29 24 35
Colón 18 10 4 4 28 16 34
Racing 18 7 6 5 21 20 27
River 18 7 6 5 23 23 27
Estudiantes 18 7 5 6 20 17 26
Rosario 18 7 4 7 23 20 25
Gimnasia (LP) 18 6 7 5 21 21 25
Banfield 18 6 5 7 25 22 23
Godoy Cruz 18 6 5 7 22 26 23
Newell's 18 4 9 5 20 20 21
San Lorenzo 18 6 3 9 24 26 21
San Martin (T) 18 5 5 8 18 20 20
Tigre 18 5 5 8 21 25 20
Independiente 18 6 2 10 21 35 20
Boca Jrs 18 5 4 9 19 24 19