The race for play-off places took centre stage in Mexico, while a quartet of state championship semi-finals headlined the Brazilian calendar over the weekend. With title battles continuing in Argentina, Korea Republic and Nigeria, Chile's fiercest rivals clashing and history being made in Malaysia, FIFA.com reflects on the latest action outside of Europe.

Argentinian Clausura: Narrow wins for top three
Radamel Falcao Garcia and Juan Sebastian Veron hit solitary, second-half goals to keep River Plate and Estudiantes sailing out front. The Colombian's 50th-minute header proved enough to see off visiting Tigre, although Los Millonarios' success was indebted to goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo, who kept his sixth successive clean sheet in the Clausura.

Veron's 86th-minute strike sunk Lanus and kept Estudiantes one point behind River. Boca Juniors rest a further three points back in third after Jesus Datolo's brace earned them a 2-1 win at Gimnasia Jujuy.

Big game: Franco Sosa's was the only name on the scoresheet as Racing Club beat Arsenal to climb off the foot of the table.
Headline-grabber: Uruguayan Santiago Silva scored one and had a hand in the other as Velez Sarsfield defeated San Martin 2-0 to leapfrog their opponents into sixth.

Brazilian State Championships: Advantage Sao Paulo and Ponte
Adriano outstruck Alex Mineiro to steer Sao Paulo to a 2-1 win over Palmeiras in the first leg of their Paulista State Championship semi-final. The 26-year-old's double put O Tricolor Paulista two goals up at the Morumbi - and moved him level with his Verdão counterpart on the scoring chart, two behind the competition's leading marksman Kleber Pereira - before Alex Mineiro halved the deficit.

Pone Preta overcame Guaratingueta 1-0 in part one of the other last four contest, Eduardo Arroz's goal separating the two sides.

Big game: Fluminense edged Vasco 5-4 on penalties in a dramatic Taca Rio semi-final, 19-year-old Pablo missing the final spot-kick to condemn his side to elimination.
Headline-grabber: Lucio Flavio underlined his growing reputation by scoring and starring as Botafogo beat Flamengo 3-0 to reach the Taca Rio final.

Mexican Clausura: Duo march towards play-offs
Santos Laguna and Guadalajara made all but sure of their play-off places ahead of the closing three rounds. Daniel Guzman led the former to a 6-1 reverse of his previous club, Atlas, which sent them six points clear at the Group 2 summit, while Chivas edged arch-rivals America 3-2 to stretch their Group 3 lead to three points.

The situation is much tighter in Group 1, where frontrunners Toluca drew 1-1 with Jaguares to maintain the one-point gap between them. Third-placed Pachuca failed to capitalise, conceding a late equaliser at home to Monterrey to remain two points off the pace.

Big game: Puebla won 2-0 at Veracruz to throw themselves a play-off lifeline.
Headline-grabber: Matias Vuoso's hat-trick propelled Santos to their biggest victory of the campaign.

Korean K-League: Bluewings run clear
FC Seoul dominated a goalless first half against Suwon Samsung Bluewings, whom they tied on points at the top going into the round, but failure to seize their chances cost Senol Gunes' side at home. Shin Young-Rok showed them how it should be done, thundering home from 25 yards just after the restart and completing a 2-0 victory on 68 minutes.

The result moved the Bluewings two points clear of Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, who rose to second courtesy of a 2-0 win at the previously unbeaten Incheon United.

Big game: Three goals in the last 15 minutes helped Daegu to a 3-0 win at Jeonbuk Motors that moved them up to fifth and left their opponents propping up the division.
Headline-grabber: Yoo Hong-Yeol netted the only goal four minutes from time against Gyeongnam to snatch Chunnam Dragons their first win of the season and lift them from the bottom.

Nigerian Premier League: Enyimba renew title hopes
Two points separate the top three following a weekend during which Enyimba, winners of five of the last seven crowns, renewed their title charge. The Peoples Elephants beat fellow hopefuls Bayelsa United 1-0 at home to move to within five points of the pace.

That pace continues to be set by Kano Pillars, who drew 1-1 with Niger Tornadoes in a battle of the top two going into Round 34 of 38. Heartland joined the Tornadoes on points, one shy of the leaders, thanks to a 1-0 win over Rangers International.

Big game: Sunshine Stars dropped to seventh, five points adrift of Kano Pillars, after a 2-0 loss at Wikki Tourists.

Elsewhere
Kedah became the first team to successfully defend the Malaysian Super League title over the weekend. Goals from St. Vincent and the Grenadines duo, Marlon James and Bernard Huggings, earned the Canaries a 2-1 win over Terengganu, which, coupled with second-placed Selangor's 4-1 loss at Pulau Pinang, gave them an unassailable 11-point lead with three rounds still to play. Negeri Sembilan leapfrogged Perak into third by beating them 3-1 at home.

Over in Chile, Manuel Villalobos scored the only goal against his former club as Universidad de Chile overcame Colo Colo in El Superclásico.