Racing Club wins Argentinian national soccer championship

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Racing Club, one of the five giants of Argentinian soccer, won its ninth national league trophy Sunday after a 1-1 draw against Tigre. It was the team’s second title in the tournament in five years.

The traditional blue and white team from Avellaneda, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, lifted the league title with one game in hand after second place Defensa y Justicia also drew 1-1 with Union de Santa Fe.

Sunday’s results kept the distance between the two leaders in four points, with Racing at 56 and Defensa y Justicia at 52.

Racing opened the score at the Jose Dellagiovana stadium with midfielder Augusto Solari at 57 minutes. Tigre levelled in the dying seconds of the match with a free kick by defender Lucas Rodriguez.

Racing’s campaign added 17 wins, five draws and only two defeats in 24 matches. The champions will face second place Defensa y Justicia in the last round of the tournament.

Coach Eduardo Coudet won his first title in his short career, after losing two finals of the Copa Argentina with Rosario Central.

“We deserved to be champions because we held the first place since the fourth round,” Racing’s coach said.

Racing’s main player in the tournament was striker “Licha” Lopez, Argentina’s league top goal scorer with 17 goals.

Fans have taken the streets of Avellaneda and Buenos Aires to celebrate.