BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Boca Juniors defeated Velez Sarsfield 2-1 Sunday in its home turf, placing two points behind first-placed team Newell's Old Boys, in the fifth game of Argentina's Closing Tournament.

The match, at La Bombonera Stadium in the capital Buenos Aires, featured the return of former Real Madrid player Fernando Gago, and got off to an exciting start when Boca's Uruguayan Ribair Rodriguez scored a head goal in the first minute.

Velez soon tied with a goal by forward Ezequiel Rescaldani in minute 9, but Boca again took the lead, thanks to a goal by Nicolas Blandi in minute 37.

The team, led by coach Carlos Bianchi, accumulated nine points with its win, against six points for Velez, which ended the game with just 10 players after Francisco Cerro was expelled in minute 64.

The tournament's still leading team, Newell's tied Estudiantes de La Plata 1-1 in Rosario, 300 kilometers north of Buenos Aires, with a goal by Pablo Perez (in minute 53) that was matched by a goal from La Plata's Leandro Desabato (in minute 91).

Coming tournament matches include San Lorenzo vs River Plate at the Nuevo Gasometro Stadium in western Buenos Aires, and Monday's games between Arsenal and Argentinos, Belgrano and Rafaela, and Lanus and Olimpo.