Buenos Aires, June 12 (IANS/EFE) A fan of Argentina's River Plate soccer team died early Monday at a Buenos Aires hospital after being stabbed at a stadium while the home team took on Boca Unidos, police said.

Gonzalo Saucedo was taken to Pirovano Hospital, located near the stadium, with a stab wound in the chest Sunday afternoon and died several hours later, police said.

The 21-year-old fan was stabbed during River's 2-1 win over Boca Unidos, one of the matches played in the 36th round of Second Division action.

The win helped River Plate move closer to its goal of returning to Argentina's First Division.

River Plate is atop the Second Division standings with 70 points.

Violence is common in and around Argentina's soccer stadiums, with groups of rival fans sometimes engaging in street battles.

Saucedo is the fifth person to die this year in soccer-related violence.

On May 26, Daniel Sosa was fatally shot in a fight between rival groups of fans.

The 21-year-old man was hit during a shootout before the match played by Lanus and All Boys.

A 31-year-old man died May 14 in the city of Rosario after being shot following the match between Newell's Old Boys and Union de Santa Fe.

Sergio Fernandez, a Newell's Old Boys fan, was shot in the abdomen after the match.

Fernandez was apparently attacked by Union de Santa Fe fans as he was leaving the Newell's Old Boys stadium aboard a bus.

Agustin Rodriguez and Aldo Barralda died in a fight near the Mataderos stadium Jan 18.

Some 250 people have died in soccer-related violence in Argentina since professional matches started being played in 1931, the non-governmental Salvemos al Futbol organization says.

The group works to help victims and the families of victims of soccer-related violence in the South American country.

--IANS/EFE

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