Tevez double leads Boca to 4-2 victory at River
By Luis Ampuero
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - A brilliant Carlos Tevez scored twice in the final half hour as Boca Juniors came from 2-1 down to beat River Plate 4-2 at El Monumental in a thrilling Argentine 'superclasico' on Sunday.
The victory put Boca top of Primera A with 28 points from 13 matches, one point ahead of Estudiantes, who lost 3-2 at San Martin, and San Lorenzo, who beat Union 3-2 on Saturday.
"I had a great match," said Tevez, who may have played his last superclasico as he mulls over a 40 million euro ($42.18 million) offer from China's Shanghai Shenhua.
"The Boca fans know I would die for this shirt."
Boca coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto said Tevez was a key component of his team and is hoping to persuade him to stay at least until the end of the season in June.
"I'll talk with him, he knows what we want," Barros Schelotto said.
"We built a team around him. Let the Chinese wait another six months."
Boca have now won three matches in a row, scoring 10 goals, since the return of playmaker Fernando Gago from a long injury layoff.
River coach Marcelo Gallardo made two controversial substitutions early in the second half when his team led 2-1 and handed the initiative back to Boca.
Gallardo took off playmaker Andres D'Alessandro and striker Sebastian Driussi with an eye on next Thursday's Copa Argentina final against Rosario Central, which will hand the winners a place in next year's South American Copa Libertadores.
Tevez equalised in the 62nd minute when he took advantage of a terrible error by young goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, who charged out of the box but missed his tackle on the striker.
The former Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus striker then curled a superb shot into the top far corner in the 82nd minute before substitute Ricardo Centurion completed the victory in added time.
Tevez had also laid on the opening goal in one of the best superclasicos in recent memory, for Walter Bou in the 14th minute.
River though had turned the score round after a brilliant volley from Driussi, the championship's leading scorer with nine goals, in the 35th minute and a header from fellow striker Lucas Alario five minutes later.
($1 = 0.9484 euros)
(Writing by Rex Gowar; Editing by Tony Jimenez/Nick Mulvenney)