On December 12, 1982, America put on the second star of the Colombian League, two dates in advance, in front of a massive millionaire, in the home of the ambassador’s team.
Eight years later, in 1990, Independiente Santa Fe is said to be the victim of the ‘Diablos’, in Bogotá’s majestic El Campín Stadium.
The two titles, out of 14 America has, came from Dr. Gabriel Ochoa Uribe, who died on August 8 this year and who, paradoxically, also dressed Millonarios and Santa Fe with glory.
Bogotá has always been seen as the second home of the ‘Diablos’, not only because they have won championships there, but also because the support of the fans in El Campín is enormous, with the presence of official bars from the scarlet cast.
This Sunday (6pm), America will have the opportunity to win another title on the main stage, the star 15, at the expense of Santa Fe, which is sure to overwhelm those led by Argentine Juan Cruz in search of the return .
In the first leg, the Americans topped the Santafereños with a powerful and effective play that resulted in a 3-0 score on the board, with goals from Yesus Cabrera, Duván Vergara and Santiago Moreno.
This time, due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, neither ‘Diablos’ nor ‘Cardenales’ will have the breath of their fans in El Campín, but both teams will leave everything on the grass for the remaining 90 minutes of this final.
Juan Caicedo, of Tumaquedo, who scored the goal that won America the title in 1982 against Millonarios, and Sergio ‘Checho’ Angulo of Ibiza, the architect of the 1990 championship goal against Santa Fe, recall their actions in El Campín .
“It was my 150th goal and it was a title”
“Against Santa Fe, in that 1990 championship, two results, win or draw, served to win the title. We started to win and then Santa Fe equalized us (1-1), but in the game in general we couldn’t get past big afugias.
That goal I scored against Santa Fe was very important in my career. It meant my 150th goal as a professional player and by the way the title of America.
The paradox of the situation is that I got a tear in the back of my right thigh when I started the home runs in Bucaramanga, and they told me there was no chance to play again this season.
But I was only two goals behind Ávila’s ‘Pipa’ – a teammate in the front position of América – for the golden booty, and I hit therapy with everything. I had the assurance and faith in God that I would restore to continue playing.
Before we played Santa Fe in El Campín de Bogotá, America faced Nacional in Pascual, if we won we were champions, but we drew 1-1 and traveled to the capital in search of the title.
On Saturday, before the game against Santa Fe, they gave me a test and I was a little uncomfortable, but I passed. The doctor Gabriel Ochoa ordered the fines to be collected in case that situation arose and I was always the first option.
In the process of the match, there was a foul in the area against Jorge ‘Polilla’ Da Silva. Referee JJ Toro, who was the game’s central defender, condemned the penalty and I executed it.
The goalkeeper was Fernando Hernández, who I had been with in Santa Fe, and we knew each other perfectly as we practiced penalties in practice. I always charged the goalkeeper’s left hand, but that afternoon, knowing he knew me, I decided to hit the right hand, with location, but a little more force. The goalkeeper dived, but did not reach that ball.
Santa Fe scoring a championship goal was somehow a strange feeling, because I played there, but I’ve always said it, and I am convinced, the moment is the moment, when you score a club that you belonged to, like professional player you have to sing the target, it is inevitable to refrain from that luck.
And in that America I shared with players that I also had partners in Santa Fe, such as Eduardo Niño, Jorge Raúl Balbis, Freddy Rincón, I think Wílmer Cabrera had not arrived at the time. That title was the last of the Ochoa era in America.
The reception in Cali was great, it took us eight hours to get from the airport to Pascual, we got into the stadium around 2:00 am. It was unforgettable ”.
“That shoe was a gift from God”
“That goal on Sunday December 12 was a gift from God, as I have always said, because we traveled to Bogotá with the illusion that we were beating Millonarios, who were a great team and thanks to the Creator we got that championship in El Campín .
Bogotá is an American square. In the capital there are as many red fans as in Cali, which is why we always feel like we play in El Campín like locals. The fans have always supported us in this stadium.
For that game against Millonarios we arrived as leaders and thanks to that shot of mine, which the press described as a “zapatazo” and allowed us to win 1-0, plus other results that were given us, we were able to win with two dates are crowned champions in advance.
It was a really great goal. Damiano, an Argentinian left hand who had arrived for América that season, caught the ball in the area, I was in the race, I asked him and he shot it at me to hit him with a left leg from outside 18 without hesitation. . The ball took a lot of speed, the height of Bogotá helped him, he got up and went through the right angle of Vivalda, an excellent goalkeeper that Millonarios had, who could not contain the shot despite his stretch.
And to think I’m right, I don’t know where I got that shoe with my left hand. That was the main goal of my career and people remind me of it on the street.
That championship was a very nice achievement because when we took the title, the second in America, with two dates in advance, we arrived relaxed to fulfill the calendar against Deportivo Cali in Pascual and Junior in Barranquilla.
The joy was enormous, especially for the Doctor Gabriel Ochoa, who had no room for happiness in his shirt. I remember, despite his joy, he asked us not to ride the Olympic round in El Campín, out of respect for Millonarios and the blue fans. He loved that attitude very much and made it great.
The arrival in Cali was enormous. We returned Monday morning, we all boarded the team bus, and a fire truck accompanied us from the airport to the Versailles headquarters, where the US administration office was then located.
Night fell and the fans were still on the streets to celebrate.
This time, in the return game against Santa Fe next Sunday in Bogotá, there will be no fans due to the coronavirus pandemic, but America knows how to play on the grass of El Campín, it is a stadium adapting to its game today and I think you will have to go out and do your job without thinking about a result you are looking for. It’s Santa Fe that is mandatory, but that’s not to say America is forgoing what it knows how to do as a visitor. You have already done your homework in Cali, now you have to finish it in Bogotá. And let the star come ”.
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The Millionaires of 1982 featured players such as Alberto Vivalda, Luis Gil, Germán Gutiérrez, Alfonso López, Nolberto Molina, José Van Tuyne, José Eugenio Hernández, Carlos López, Germán Morales, Norberto Peluffo, Eduardo Pimentel, Alejandro Barberón, Ernesto. Díaz, Arnoldo Iguarán and Juanito Moreno.
The America that was crowned champions against Independiente Santa Fe in 1990 featured Eduardo Niño, Antonio Moreno, Jorge Raúl Balbis, Alexis Mendoza, Jorge Bermúdez, Wilson Pérez, Mario Coll, Alex Escobar, Anthony de Ávila, Eduardo Pimentel. , Jorge Da Silva, Freddy Rincón and Sergio Angulo.