Piatti Still Benched, Taider Still Scoring Pens

Ignacio Piatti still struggles to get game time at San Lorenzo, who secured a good 2-0 home victory over an Estudiantes La Plata side which included former Barcelona and Liverpool man Javier Mascherano in their line-up.

San Lorenzo’s goals came from Mariano Peralta in the 33rd minutes and Paraguayan Angel Romero on 68.

Piatti remained as an unused substitute despite coach Mariano Soso replacing no fewer than five players.

San Lorenzo top Group 5 of the Liga Professional Argentina on goal difference from Aldosivi who won 1-0 at Argentinos Juniors.

Meanwhile on the same day in Al Bahah, Saphir Taider was again on the mark from the penalty spot, but his side Al-Ain fell to it’s fourth successive defeat at home to Al-Ahly. They are the only side in the Saudi Professional League to remain pointless after four rounds of the season.

Syrian international Omar Al Somah did the damage with a twenty minute hat-trick for visitors Al-Ahly, Taider’s goal coming in the 25th minute after Al Somah had grabbed his second.

Creditably Al-Ain did manage to get back on level terms by the interval with two goals on the stroke of half-time, but succumbed to Ghanian international Samuel Owusu’s winner for Al-Ahly on 65 mins.

Al-Ain home games at the little King Saud Sport City Stadium are producing plenty of goals. Saturday’s 3-4 defeat follows their home opener which was lost 2-4.

Al-Ain now have a 16 day break from league fixtures, after which they travel to Abha to take on the only other winless side in the division, Damak, sitting one point above them in 15th.