Losing becomes a habit in Chile
JOHN LYONS reports on the Chilean team who have made an art-form of being runners-up
If there was a prize for the team with the most hard-luck stories in football over the last 18 months, then Chile’s Universidad Católica would surely win it – or, more likely, come second.
You see, they’ve become the nearly team, the gallant runners-up, the defeated semi-finalists, the penalty shoot-out losers, the almost winners. And the fed-up fans have had to bear the brunt of it.
There was one joke doing the rounds at the turn of the year. It suggested the countdown to New Year went ‘5,4, 3, Catolica, 1….’
It was after former Real Sociedad manager Martín Lasarte took over 18 months ago that a pattern began to emerge at one of the biggest clubs in Chile.
In the league, the Cruzados needed to get into the top eight to qualify for the play-offs. It should have been a walk in the park, but they let crucial points slip away and had to wait and see what happened in the final match between Unión Española and Cobreloa.
Whoever won would be in the play-offs, but a draw would send Católica through. With the game in stoppage time, Unión netted a lastgasp winner – and Católica were out.
That same season Católica somehow blundered their way through to the semi-finals of the Copa Sudamericana before losing to eventual winners Sao Paulo on away goals, no disgrace there.
The next season, Católica reached the Copa Chile final and came up against Universidad de Chile.
With the game level at 1-1, Juan Ignacio Duma scored a stoppage time winner for U de Chile. The Cruzados were devastated.
But there was still the league to play for. Católica had traded blows with Unión Española in the battle to win the Torneo de Transición and the sides went into the final game of the season level on points, though Unión had a better goal difference.
Unión won 1-0 at home against Colo Colo, which meant Católica, who were playing in the north at already-relegated San Marcos de Arica, had to win by four. In the event, they could win only 2-1 with an injury-time winner.
While jubilant Unión celebrated the title, Católica, and midfielder Michael Ríos in particular, were furious with what they saw as Arica’s exaggerated efforts to beat them.
The suggestion was that ‘el hombre del maletín ´ or ´the man with the briefcase´ had provided extra cash incentives for the San Marcos players to win the match.
Ríos blasted: “They were playing like Barcelona. I hope they played like that for their salaries and not for the incentives they received.”
They say in Chile that football always give you ‘revanchas’, a chance for revenge. However, it didn’t happen in the Copa Sudamericana as Sao Paulo again eliminated them, though this time in the last 16.
It took a string of miraculous saves from Sao Paulo’s veteran goalkeeper Rogério Ceni to knock them out.
But perhaps they could make amends in the league. This time Católica led the way, though a shock 2-0 defeat at modest Antofagasta allowed title rivals O’Higgins to draw level with them at the top of the table.
Going into the final game, Católica and O’Higgins were level on points, though this time Católica had the advantage of a better goal difference.
But hang on, the rules had changed. Between the previous tournament ending and the new one starting, there had been alterations. If two teams finished level on points, there would be a play-off to decide the champions.
While Católica won fairly comfortably 2-0 at Unión La Calera, all the action was happening in the other match between Rangers and O’Higgins. The lead was changing hands and there was all sorts of drama.
With 13 minutes left, O’Higgins trailed 3-2. They needed to score twice to win and force a play-off. They drew level and then in the 89th minute Rangers keeper Nicolás Peric brought down Pablo Calandria in the box. Penalty to O’Higgins.
Score and it’s a play-off, miss it and the title is Católica’s. Under intense pressure, Calandria kept his nerve to hit the back of the net. O’Higgins had pulled it out of the bag.
Three days later came the Super Final at the national stadium. Midfielder Pablo Hernández scored the only goal of the game to earn O’Higgins their first ever title – and leave Católica empty-handed again.
It was all too much for that man Ríos, who had been substituted earlier. He raced onto the pitch at the final whistle and tried to attack O’Higgins’ ex-Católica keeper Paulo Garcés. He had to be dragged away amid ugly scenes.
It was also the final straw for manager Lasarte. After almost guiding Catolica to so much success, he decided to quit after the end-of-season play-offs.
Losing the Super Final meant Católica had to go into play-offs to decide Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana places for this year. But, devastated by their league defeat, it was no surprise they couldn’t raise their game.
The Cruzados lost on penalties to Iquique after letting leads slip in both legs of the semifinal. It was a miserable end to the year for Lasarte and his players.
In the calendar year, they had been the team that had earned the most points, but they saw both titles on offer slip through their fingers.
A new year, a new manager – same result. This time under the direction of Rodrigo Astudillo, Católica played Huachipato over two legs in the semi-final of the Copa Chile.
The Cruzados were big favourites, but it was Huachipato who triumphed 3-1 on aggregate after winning both legs. In the process, the Acereros assured Copa Sudamericana football – and left Católica reflecting on what might have been all over again.
No wonder some pundits think the Cruzados are now psychologically scarred from all the blows they´ve endured. And even captain Cristián Álvarez has admitted it´s vital they change their fortunes as soon as possible.
“We´ll take away all this weight, this backpack that we´re carrying if we win something,” he said.“If we don´t, the back pack´s just going to get heavier.”