Newell’s Old Boys bid farewell to coach Gabriel Heinze, thrashing Defensa y Justicia 3-0 in a dazzling display in the final match of the Copa de la Liga.
The Lepers dominated their final showdown under Heinze’s guidance, leaving Defensa y Justicia in their wake, despite the coach’s swift exit from the pitch without a traditional farewell to the fans.
The opener was scored in the 29th minute, with Francisco “Panchito” González netting his fourth goal of his career and putting Newell’s 1-0 ahead. The second half saw Víctor Velázquez extending the lead to 2-0 in the 55th minute with a fine header from a corner. The coup de grâce came just seven minutes later, with Francisco González notching his second and sealing the match at 3-0.
Defensa y Justicia were reduced to ten men with 10 minutes remaining when Julián Malatini received a red card for a reckless challenge on Ian Glavinovich.
While Defensa y Justicia already secured their spot in the Copa Sudamericana, dreams of a Libertadores berth linger. Despite being off the mark in the top four of the Annual Table, they cling to hopes of clinching a Libertadores spot by winning the Copa Argentina final against Estudiantes de La Plata.
A triumphant and eventful farewell for Heinze and a resounding victory for Newell’s to cap off what was a disappointing season with La Lepra missing out on a Copa de la Liga qualification spot despite a strong start in the competition.
