2005–06 in Argentine football


The 2005–06 Argentine First Division Apertura was a nail biter. After a head-to-head finish in the last weeks Boca Juniors took the trophy home. Gimnasia de La Plata will have to wait for their first-ever championship.
The 2005–06 Argentine First Division Clausura saw Boca Juniors become the first team since River Plate in 1999–2000 to win the Apertura and the Clausura in the same season. This capped an amazing year for Boca, as they won every tournament they were eligible. Lanús were the big surprise of the Clausura, as they finished second in the league. Boca also achieved 80 points in a season for the first time since 1998/99 when they scored 89 points.
Argentina drew one of the most difficult groups in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, advanced to the second round but lost against hosts Germany in the quarter-finals.
After an abysmal season, Instituto and Tiro Federal were relegated to the Nacional B Division a few weeks before the end of the tournament. The next two worst teams in the relegation standings, Argentinos Juniors and Olimpo de Bahía Blanca, played a Promoción playoff series against Huracán and Belgrano de Córdoba, respectively, for two spots in next year's Argentine First Division. Argentinos Juniors remains in the top category after drawing with Huracán twice. Olimpo, however, were relegated to Nacional B after losing twice to Belgrano.

Torneo Apertura (''"Opening"'' Tournament)

PositionTeamPointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDifference
1Boca Juniors40191243361719
2Gimnasia de La Plata3719114428199
3Vélez Sársfield33191036261610
4Independiente3219883342212
5Banfield28195131251510
6River Plate281984731229
7Estudiantes La Plata281984723221
8Argentinos Juniors28198471920-1
9San Lorenzo28198473339-6
10Colón de Santa Fe261975728271
11Racing Club251974828271
12Olimpo de Bahía Blanca23195861923-4
13Lanús23195862131-10
14Arsenal de Sarandí22195772324-1
15Rosario Central22195772029-9
16Newell's Old Boys20195592527-2
17Quilmes19194782027-7
18Gimnasia de Jujuy18193972330-7
19Tiro Federal151943122231-9
20Instituto15192981127-16

Top Scorers

PositionPlayerTeamGoals
1Javier CámporaTiro Federal13
2Leonardo PisculichiArgentinos Juniors10
2Rodrigo PalacioBoca Juniors10
2Gonzalo VargasGimnasia de La Plata10
2José Luis CalderónEstudiantes de La Plata10
3Nicolás FrutosIndependiente9
3Sergio AgüeroIndependiente9
3Iván Moreno y FabianesiColón de Santa Fe9
4Ezequiel LavezziSan Lorenzo8

Relegation

Torneo Clausura (''"Closing"'' Tournament)

PositionTeamPointsPlayedWonDrawnLostForAgainstDifference
1Boca Juniors43191342371423
2Lanús35191054261511
3River Plate3419973392415
4Gimnasia de Jujuy33191036261610
5Gimnasia de La Plata321995531229
6Newell's Old Boys311987427189
7Banfield3119101828226
8San Lorenzo281977515141
9Olimpo261975722220
10Vélez Sársfield2519510421183
11Estudiantes La Plata24196672531-6
12Independiente231965818180
13Rosario Central23195861517-2
14Argentinos Juniors22195772628-2
15Arsenal de Sarandí22195771720-3
16Colón de Santa Fe20195591926-7
17Quilmes20195591128-17
18Racing Club191954101424-10
19Instituto131934121637-21
20Tiro Federal121933131539-24

Top Scorers

PositionPlayerTeamGoals
1Gonzalo VargasGimnasia de La Plata12
2Ernesto FaríasRiver Plate11
2Martín PalermoBoca Juniors11
3Ignacio ScoccoNewell's Old Boys9
3Sergio AgüeroIndependiente9
4Silvio CarrarioQuilmes7
4Ezequiel MaggioloOlimpo de Bahia Blanca7
4Rodrigo PalacioBoca Juniors7

Relegation

TeamAveragePointsPlayed2003-042004-052005-06
Boca Juniors1.80720611475/3848/3883/37
River Plate1.64918811466/3860/3862/37
Vélez Sársfield1.61418411453/3873/3858/38
Banfield1.59618211464/3859/3859/38
San Lorenzo1.49117011462/3852/3856/38
Newell's Old Boys1.42116211451/3860/3851/38
Gimnasia de La Plata1.41216111438/3854/3869/38
Estudiantes de La Plata1.37715711444/3861/3852/38
Lanús1.35115411442/3854/3858/38
Arsenal de Sarandí1.34215311455/3854/3843/38
Gimnasia de Jujuy1.3425138N/AN/A51/38
Racing Club1.33315211450/3858/3844/38
Rosario Central1.31615011444/3861/3845/38
Independiente1.29814811444/3849/3855/38
Colón de Santa Fe1.29814811449/3853/3846/38
Quilmes1.26514311460/3844/3839/38
Argentinos Juniors1.2249376N/A43/3850/38
Olimpo de Bahía Blanca1.14913111439/3843/3849/38
Instituto0.9217076N/A42/3828/38
Tiro Federal0.7112738N/AN/A27/38

"Promoción" playoff

Argentinos Juniors remains in the Argentine First Division after a 3 - 3 aggregate tie by virtue of a "sports advantage". In case of a tie in goals, the team from the First Division gets to stay in it.
Belgrano de Córdoba wins 4-2 and is promoted to Argentine First Division. Olimpo de Bahia Blanca is relegated to the Argentine Nacional B.

Lower leagues

LevelTournamentChampion
2ndPrimera B Nacional Apertura
Primera B Nacional Clausura
Godoy Cruz
Nueva Chicago
3rdPrimera B MetropolitanaPlatense
3rd Torneo Argentino AVilla Mitre
4thPrimera C MetropolitanaDeportivo Merlo
5thPrimera D MetropolitanaItuzaingó

Clubs in international competitions

Team / Competition2005 Recopa Sudamericana2005 Copa Sudamericana2006 Copa Libertadores
Boca JuniorsChampions
defeated
Once Caldas
Champions
defeated
UNAM
did not qualify
Vélez Sársfielddid not playSemifinal
eliminated by
UNAM
Quarterfinals
eliminated by
Guadalajara
Estudiantes de La Platadid not playFirst stage
eliminated by
Banfield
Quarterfinals
eliminated by
São Paulo
River Platedid not playRound of 16
eliminated by
Corinthians
Quarterfinals
eliminated by
Libertad
Newell's Old Boysdid not playFirst stage
eliminated by
Rosario Central
Round of 16
eliminated by
Vélez Sársfield
Rosario Centraldid not playRound of 16
eliminated by
Internacional
Group Stage
eliminated

National team

This section covers Argentina's matches from August 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006.

Friendly matches

2006 World Cup qualifiers

2006 World Cup