BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Maximiliano Lovera scored a first-half winner as Rosario Central clinched the Argentine Primera Division title on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Platense in the final.
Lovera made a dashing run into the box, passing two defenders and then squeezing between two others as his sliding left-foot finish beat goalkeeper Ramiro Macagno.
Platense's hopes of a comeback suffered a major blow when Gaston Suso was sent off in the 89th minute for a bad foul on Jaminton Campez that earned him a second yellow card.
Rosario Central survived a tense finale to clinch their fourth top-flight title and first since 1987.
"I'm so happy for everyone associated with the club and the fans," Rosario Central manager Miguel Angel Russo said.
"We started the year poorly but we've managed to turn things around and finish in the best possible way." ■
