Argentine big guns Independiente relegated for first time

BUENOS AIRES, June 15 (Reuters) - Record seven times South American champions Independiente became the second major Argentine team in two years to be relegated for the first time on Saturday.

The Red Devils, who could not afford to drop another point if they were to avoid the same fate as River Plate in 2011, lost 1-0 at home to San Lorenzo and were relegated with one match remaining in the "Final" championship.

With Union already relegated, the third spot for next season in the second-tier Primera B Nacional will go down to the wire with Argentinos Juniors or San Martin, who both won on Sunday, the teams in danger.

Relegation in Argentina has been determined since the early 1980s by teams' average points over three seasons with the bottom three in that table going down.

Independiente won the Libertadores Cup, the region's elite club tournament, seven times between 1964 and 1984, lifting the Intercontinental Cup, precursor to the Club World Cup, twice.