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Palermo scores hat-trick in Boca win

BUENOS AIRES — Martin Palermo scored a hat trick as Boca Juniors rallied to a 3-1 win over Colon in the Argentine Apertura tournament on Sunday.

Boca’s archrival River Plate missed the chance to return to the top of the standings after losing 1-0 at Newell’s Old Boys earlier in the day.

Also Sunday, newly promoted All Boys inflicted a surprise first defeat of the season on third-placed Estudiantes with a 2-1 win and Banfield thrashed winless Independiente 4-0.

The results were good news for San Lorenzo, which stays a point clear atop the table after seven matches played.

Palermo scored either side of half time and added a late third goal as Boca rallied to beat Colon.

Colon took the lead through when Ivan Moreno took advantage of a defensive lapse to force the ball past Boca keeper Cristian Lucchetti in the 42^nd minute.

Palermo equalized in first-half stoppage time with a lobbed finish over goalkeeper Marcos Diaz and scored a second after taking the ball down on his chest at the back post and sending the ball into the net in the 50^th minute.

Juan Quiroga was sent off in the 75^th minute for Colon and Palermo added a third goal from Lucas Viatri’s headed pass with just over five minutes left to play.

A second consecutive win pushes Boca into the top half of the table and eases the pressure on coach Claudio Borghi after an indifferent start to the season.

Earlier, Ivan Borghello put Newell’s in front with a headed finish against River after Mauricio Sperdutti held off a challenge on the left wing and pulled a cross back to the penalty spot.

River, looking to string together a second consecutive win and overtake San Lorenzo, pushed forward in the second half.

The visitors should have pulled level in the 73^rd minute when Ariel Ortega turned and shot in the box forcing Newell’s goalkeeper Sebastian Peratta to parry.

The rebound fell to Alexis Ferrero, but the River defender screwed his shot high over the crossbar from six yards.

Sperdutti almost extended Newell’s lead with a volley from the corner of the box that Carrizo pushed over the bar in the 84^th as River left holes at the back in search of an equalizer.

Newell’s striker Mauro Formica also went close with a shot across goal that bounced wide in the final minute.

River, on 13 points, remains two points behind San Lorenzo following the defeat, with Newell’s a point further back.

Earlier, Eduardo Dominguez gave All Boys the lead with a left-footed finish against Estudiantes after Fernando Sanchez headed a corner back across goal in the 29^th minute.

Rodrigo Brana equalized for Estudiantes with a header from Gabriel Mercado’s cross, but All Boys re-established the lead when Sebastian Grazzini intercepted a pass and chipped past goalkeeper Agustin Orion from 20 yards in the 50^th.

The loss kept Estudiantes two points behind San Lorenzo with a game in hand, while All Boys climbed into mid-table.

Later Sunday, Ruben Ramirez opened the scoring in the fourth minute for Banfield against struggling Independiente and Sebastian Romero doubled the lead in the 21^st.

Ramirez scored again in the 51^st, with Gabriel Valles sent off for Independiente two minutes later.

Emilio Zelaya completed a miserable afternoon for Independiente with a fourth goal for Banfield in the 83^rd.

In Friday and Saturday results, it was: Gimnasia 3, Huracan 0; Racing Club 4, Lanus 0; San Lorenzo 3, Olimpo 1; Godoy Cruz 1, Tigre 2; Quilmes 2, Argentinos Juniors 2; Arsenal 0, Velez Sarsfield 0.