Prolific goalscorer Ignacio Scocco has returned to his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys for the fourth time. The forward, who is the fifth highest goalscorer in the history of the club, has scored some golazos during his previous spells in Rosario. Here, we look at some of his best goals in the red and black of Newell’s Old Boys.
Clausura 2006 – Racing 1-1 Newell’s
A 19-year-old Scocco, already an important part of the Newell’s squad which he joined three years previously, picks the ball up between the centre-circle and the opposing box at Racing’s El Cilindro stadium. Surrounded by four Racing players, he swivels and changes direction to bring the ball onto his right side before unleashing a rocket from the guts of 40 yards past goalkeeper Gustavo Campagnuolo.
Inicial 2012 – Newell’s 2-0 San Martín de San Juan
Six years on, Scocco returns to Newell’s and his ability to drive the ball into the net from ridiculous lengths seems to have only increased. Here, against San Martín de San Juan, he rattles the net with an impulsive bullet that leaves the whole stadium in a state of elation mixed with shock. Have you ever seen anything like it?
Inicial 2012 – River 3-3 Newell’s
Scocco loved scoring for and against River Plate. Long before they captured the man from the Santa Fe town of Hughes, River had seen him in action at the Monumental for Newell’s where he always seemed to score a spectacular goal. This sweet strike from 2012 in a draw that didn’t lack goals is neatly assisted by the head of Pablo Pérez, who is now Scocco’s teammate once again at El Coloso del Parque.
Inicial 2012 – Newell’s 2-1 Arsenal
The campaign of 2012 under Tata Martino brought goals galore for Scocco. He scored 13 times as La Lepra finished second and qualified for the Copa Libertadores. At home, against Arsenal de Sarandí, this acrobatic bicycle kick saw him loiter at the back post waiting for a chance from a corner. When the chance came, he leapt into the air and connected sweetly with the ball to put Newell’s two goals to the good.
Inicial 2012 – Unión 2-2 Newell’s
Another outrageous strike from the 2012 Torneo Inicial. In the draw away to Unión, Nacho picks the ball up deep and puts his foot through it, beating the goalkeeper from some distance.
Final 2013 – Newell’s 1-0 River
Onto 2013, and it’s another goal against River but this time it comes at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa. Villabla plays a long ball forward into the path of Scocco who still has a lot of work to do. Channeling his inner Denis Bergkamp, he flicks the ball over River defender Adalberto Román (who calls for a handball to mask his failure to deal with the situation) and then nods it past him before sliding to finish it with a toe-poke. “Qué Golazo” indeed.
Copa Libertadores 2013 – Newell’s 3-1 Deportivo Lara
A stunning individual effort in injury time of La Lepra’s home win against Venezuelan club Deportivo Lara. Scocco picks the ball up just outside the centre-circle and runs with pace at the opposition defence. Leaving the first to challenge him on the ground, he then feints to leave another defender helpless before slotting a rifled shot into the bottom corner.
Primera División 2015 – River 0-2 Newell’s
In late 2015, Nacho was back tormenting River at the Monumental again. A great ball from the left from Denis Rodríguez lands with precision on the boot of the nonchalant Scocco who hits a thunderous first-time volley straight into the back of the River net. The Millonarios would buy both Rodríguez and Scocco a while later. They’d seen enough.
Honourable mentions must go to Scocco’s driving free-kick against Atlético Mineiro in the Copa Libertadores, the third goal of his hat-trick against Vélez in 2017 and this show of strength against Racing in 2014.
With Scocco rejoining Newell’s until 2021, hopefully we have a lot more golazos to look forward as the iconic number 32 shirt leads our attack once again.
