Football Journey

Turkey – ranked 26. Four teams were way above the rest, but only two of them were entangled in a battle for the title. Fenerbahce was in decline. New Cup winner. The league was going to be increased to 20 teams the next season, so two teams were relegated and three promoted. Still 2 points for a win.
Second Division – 53 teams divided in 3 groups. Group A for some reason had 17 teams, the other two – 18 teams each. Only in Group C dramatic battle for top position occurred. Of the three freshly relegated teams only one managed to return back to top flight.
Group A. One team dominated the championship and two other teams were much stronger than the rest, but far behind the leader.
Kayserispor, freshly relegated, finished 3rd with 42 points – 7 points ahead of 4th-placed Gaziantepspor, but 11 points behind the winners.
AdanaDemirspor (Adana) dominated the group, winning the championship with 53 points from 23 wins, 7 ties, 2 losses and 77-27 goal-difference. Promoted to First Division.
Group B. Perhaps the group with most former top league members – Adanaspor, Mersin, Goztepe, and freshly relegated Orduspor – but none of them was running for promotion. One team dominated the championship, followed by 6 stronger than the rest, but weaker than the leader teams.
Yeni Salihlispor was one of those stronger teams – they finished 4th with 40 points.
Karsiyaka SK won the group and was promoted – 22 wins,9 ties, 3 losses, 58-19 goal-difference and 53 points. The second finisher – Izmirspor – was 10 points behind.
Group C. The only group with dramatic battle for top position between 2 teams way above the rest. Konyaspor and just relegated Sakaryaspor fought to the end and only goal-difference determined the winner.
Konyaspor lost only 1 match. The rest: 23 wins and 10 ties. They scored 62 goals and received only 14. Great defensive record, wonderful goal-difference of +48, 56 points.
Sakaryaspor played top league football only a year ago and wanted very much to go back to top flight. They won 25 games, tied 6 and lost 3 – that gave them 56 points, the same as their bitter rivals Konyaspor. Goal-difference decided in Sakaryaspor’s favour: they finished 77-26, that is +51, 3 goals better record and first place was their. Most unfortunate for Konyaspor and big joy for Sakaryaspor.

Cyprus – ranked 27th. 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw. The championship was dominated by one team and at the bottom there was no drama either, for there were 2 hopeless outsiders and everybody else was absolutely safe. So, the only news was a novelty of a kind: In the fall of 1986 APOEL was drawn against Besiktas for the second round of the Champions Cup. This was the first occasion a Cypriot and Turkish club were going to face each other. But the political tensions which split Cyprus years ago were very much alive and the Cypriot government prohibited APOEL from playing against Besiktas. For refusing to play, UEFA penalized APOEL with one year disqualification from playing in any European tournament. That would have been a problem if APOEL won the championship, but they did not. Apart from that, there was the enlargement of the top leagues, which meant that practically no old members of the top division were now in the second tier, but various tiny clubs were. Although Cypriot football improved a lot in recent years and continued to grow stronger, the problem of quality remained – second division was clearly very weak and it was not going to provide competitive team to the top league any time soon.
Teams like Evagoras (Paphos) played in Second Division, even less known. Evagoras finished 6th.
Three teams battled for the two top positions giving promotion. Orfeas (Nicosia0 lost the race, finishing 3rd with 40 points.

Anagennisi (Deryneia) clinched second place with 41 points and was promoted.
APEP won the championship with 43 points from 19 wins, 5 ties, 4 losses, and 53-25 goal-difference. One can imagine the joy – they were going to play for the first time in First Division. Quite an achievement too, for the club was formed only in 1979 – true, from a merger of older clubs. However wonderful it was in the home town, APEP was most likely to be relegated right away, but that was not to spoil happiness. Winners are winners.
The ugly face of the future of the Second Division winners was presented in the final table of the top league: Ermis, newly promoted, was last and relegated. They managed to earn only 6 points, won just one match, scored 19 goal in 30 games, but received 108! Ahead of them were the other newcomers – Omonia (Aradippou). Slightly better… they won 2 games and earned `3 points, but went down as well. Safe at 14 place were Ethnikos with 22 points.

Such was the effect of the enlarged league: teams, which previously meandered between first and second division, never able to dream of more than temporary survival, now were quite relaxed and definitely safe among the best: APOP (Paphos) finished 9th with 27 points.
But that was the life of most clubs – just safe existence far away from a title.
EPA (Larnaca) curely had strong season and they ended with bronze medals, but that was the maximum – even 2nd place was out of their reach, they finished 4 points behind APOEL. But luck was on their side – since APOEL was banished from UEFA, EPA was going to represent Cyprus in the UEFA Cup. Wonderful for them.
APOEL was sure 2nd, but the title was out of their reach: with 47 points, they were no challenge to arch-enemy Omonia. APOEL, however, excelled defensively – they allowed only 11 goals in their net. That is 1 goal every third game played!
Omonia (Nicosia) easily won the championship with 52 points from 26 wins and 4 losses. Curiously, they did not tie even one match and it was pretty much their traditional approach: attacking football. It showed in their scoring record: 86-28. Constantly attacking and scoring as much as they could. The next best scorers scored 24 goals less! After the brief slip in the previous year, Omonia were back in their usual and long lasting dominant position. It was their 15th title and once again it was their traditional ‘Bulgarian connection’ keeping them superior – three Bulgarians drove them to success, just like almost all previous titles. The coach Yoncho Arssov (sitting 4th from left to right), the center-forward Spas Dzhevizov (4th from left, middle row), and imaginative playmaker Petar Zekhtinsky (2nd from left, middle row). The Bulgarians delivered once again.
The Cup final opposed lower clubs: AEL and Apollon. AEL prevailed 1-0.
AEL (Limassol) won its 5th Cup, which was great and also the most a team could hope for, since the championship title was seemingly reserved for Omonia (Nicosia). AEL was nothing to brag about in the championship – they finished 4th, but 7 points behind 3rd-placed EPA. So, winning the Cup was truly fantastic.

Norway – ranked 28th. Significant season – the season of ‘first ever’. New point-system, new champion, new Cup winner, new promoted team – all for the first time. 3 points for a win was introduced – and stayed. There was another change, which did not last: if a match was tied, penalty shoot-out followed and the winner in it got 2 points, the loser – 1. This rule was highly controversial and was removed after this season. The rest was surprising new winners – always interesting and stirring change, but also opening debates and speculations about significance and long lasting effects. Two last two teams in the top league were relegated and the winners of the two Second Division groups were promoted. The 10th in First Division and the two second-placed teams in the Second Division groups went to promotion-relegation play-offs.
Sogndal won the Group A of Second Division with 45 points: 13 wins, 4 shoot-out wins, 2 shoot-out losses, and 3 regular losses, 43-21 goal-difference. They clinched first place by a single point.
Almost anonymous Djerv 1919 finished 2nd with 44 points.

Strømmen won Group B with 46 points: 13 wins, 2 shoot-out wins, 3 shoot-out losses, and 4 regular losses. 44-32 goal-difference.
Lyn ended 2nd with 42 points.
The group winners were directly promoted, the vice-champions went to the promotion-relegation play-offs. Hamarkameratene, 10th in First Division joined Lyn and Djerv 1919.
Djerv 1919 (Haugesund) beat the competition and achieved the highest point in its history – promotion to First Division. Hamarkameratene was relegated and Lyn stayed where they were.
Start was last in First Division with 25 points. Mjøndalen was 11th – also with 25 points, but with better goal-difference. Both teams were directly relegated. Hamarkameratene was 10th with 29 points and after losing the play-offs also went down. Lillestrom survived – they were 9th with 29 points, but ahead – and therefore safe – of Hamarkameratene on better goal-difference. Nothing much up the top two.
Tromsø was 6th with 31 points.
Kongsvinger clinched bronze medals with 39 points, but better goal-difference than Rosenborg. Molde took the silver medals with 41 points. There was something little missing to be able to really go for the title.

Moss won the championship with 44 points from 13 wins, 2 shoot-out wins, 1 shoot-out loss, and 6 regular losses. 44-30 was their goal-difference – high scorers, but defensively weak. May be not the most convincing champion, but they never won the championship before, so it was a big surprise, great joy, and food for thought. Were they one-time wonder or signified some major shift, triggered by the new rules? No matter at home – first title is always great historic moment.
Bryne and Brann met at the Cup final and Bryne eventually prevailed 1-0.
It was not Brann’s year – 8th in the championship and lost Cup final. Top row from left: Erling Mikkelsen (leder), Halvor Storskogen, Ingvar Dalhaug, Arne Møller, Fridtjof Wilborn, Dan Riisnes, Bjarni Sigurdsson, Per Hilmar Nybø, Lars Moldestad, Trond Nordeide, Casper Moldenhauer (leder).
Middle row:Arne Wilhelmsen (materialforvalter), Arve Mokkelbost (sports- og markedssjef), Knut Arild Løberg, Jan Halvor Halvorsen, Per Egil Ahlsen, Tony Knapp (trener), Per Vold, Erik Solèr, Hans Brandtun, Odd Johnsen, Alf Dahl, Rune Enehaug (fysioterapeut), H.J. Berge (leder).
Front row: Redouane Drici, Jan Erlend Kruse, Kjetil Brekke, Steinar Thon, Robert Hauge, Geir Gulbrandsen, Trond Devik.
Bryne completed the list of surprise winners – they never won the Cup before and although it was difficult minimal victory, it was theirs. From left to right: Jan Madsen, Børre Meinseth, Paal Fjeldstad, Tor Fosse, Hugo Hansen, Roar Pedersen, Leif Rune Salte, Bjørn Gulden, Kolbjørn Ekker, Lars Gaute Bøe, Arne Larsen Økland.
Happy winners in the dressing room and instant heroes.
First-time winners all around, but all of them never repeated their success again.

Ireland – ranked 29th. Interesting season, but mostly in the still new Second Division. Over there the former First Division teams were stronger and the added 4 teams -weaker. Newcastle United changed name to Newcastlewest.
EMFA celebrated its 21st year of existence finishing 9th out of 10 teams – nothing to brag about unless one is Kilkenny native: the club was founded by schoolboys and still had the look. The fact they played in a professional league was more than success.
Up the table momentary strength was decisive – only Drogheda United challenged the leaders and to a point: they finished 3rd with 24 points.
Shelbourne (Dublin), however, was quite stronger and ended 2nd with 27 points, earning promotion.
Derry City had no rival and they were the team to talk about: they easily won the championship with 33 points from 16 wins, 1 tie, and single lost match, 45-14 goal-difference. The Second Division champions were expected to go much higher soon and play in the European tournaments. It was unusual team in every aspect: First of all, they were not from the Republic of Ireland, but from Northern Ireland – technically, a foreign club. 15 years ago they were expelled from Northern Irish football because of fan troubles. After staying idle for a long time, they managed to join the Republic of Ireland league two years ago, but then the system was reorganized and they found themselves in the newly introduced Second Division. And suddenly they became ambitious in a very unusual way: they recruited players from abroad. Occasional English or Scottish player was nothing new in Ireland, but bona fide foreigners were practically unheard of. Derry City had 3 Scotsmen, 1 Welshman, 1 English and 2 ‘real’ foreigners – probably there was never before an Irish team with so many foreign players. And they were no joke: Alan Sunderland was the most recognizable name, playing for Arsenal (London) for many years. The South African striker Owen da Gama, who spent years in Belgian first division. And then there was a third striker, a French, who played for Orleans before and caught the interest of Manchester City and Dundee United, but joined Derry City – Alex Krystic was the true jewel of the team: he scored 18 goals in the 18 championship games. According to Sunderland, he was was also fun guy to have in the dressing room. Derry City suddenly had formidable team – by Irish standards – and clearly had big plans for the near future. They introduced new reality, the way of the 1980s, to Irish football – it was no longer possible to depend on local talent or rather to the leftovers of local talent. With local boys… well, no success was possible. With foreigners Derry City was at least was becoming equal to the traditional leading Irish clubs. They broke a big barrier: Irish clubs looked only in their backyards for talent and that was no longer going to be.
First Division was less exciting: one team dominated the championship. The top league was smaller than before reorganization, but still divided: 4 teams much stronger than the rest, 6 more or less equal mid-table teams and 2 weak outsiders. Athlone Town finished last with 11 points and Home Farm – 11th with 13 points. They were relegated. Nothing significant all the way to the top:

Bray Wanderers was example of the so-so teams: they ended 8th with 17 points. Better goal-difference placed them ahead of Sligo Rovers and Limerick City.
Three teams fought for 2nd place and Dundalk clinched it with 30 points. Bohemians was 3rd with 29 points and Waterford United 4th with 28 points. And Waterford was 5 points ahead of 5th-placed St. Patrick’s Athletic. Yet, the battle for second position was just that – nothing to do with the title.
Shamrock Rovers was formidable – they lost only one match. Tied 3 and won the 18 remaining games. 51-16 goal-difference, 39 points. Dundalk finished with 9 points less. It was great supremacy and not only in the championship: in the Cup final they destroyed Dundalk 3-0.

A double, 4th consecutive title – no team achieved such run before, 4th consecutive Cup as well. Altogether – 14th title and 24th Cup. Nobody expected this year’s to be the last Rovers won the Cup, of course, but the mood among the fans was far from festive: the owners of the club announced that they were leaving their old stadium and going to share another one with amateur club Home Park, at the other side of the city. The reason was declining attendance, making it financially impossible to use the bigger stadium. Fans feared the owners were going to sell the old stadium and rebelled, promising never to cross town to watch Rovers. A boycott at the peak of the most successful period of the club! That was the other side of football reality in the 1980s, unfortunately: declining audience and rising expenses. Ticket sales no longer were able to finance a club, even a winning one. Stadiums were getting too old and decrepit and there was no way out: either leave it to completely fall apart, becoming more and more dangerous, or invest in massive repairs. There was no money for such repairs and on top of it – repair for what? Audiences were shrinking anyway. Better sell the venue… and fans never liked selling their ‘home’. The end result: Shamrock Rovers was going to be boycotted by its own fans when they were at the very peak as a team.

Northern Ireland – ranked 30th. 3 points for a win, still closed league of 14 teams – no relegations and promotions. No surprises either.
Coleraine was the only relatively close opponent of the seemingly eternal leaders. They excelled in scoring, though: 65 in 26 championship games. But that was all – 2nd with 53 points.
Linfield comfortably won its 39th title after 18 wins, 3 ties, 5 losses, 50-15 goal-difference and 57 points. Golden period for the most successful club – 6th title in a row already.
The Cup final opposed FC Larne (4th in the championship) to Glentoran (7th). Although FC Larne was slightly stronger this year, tradition and experience won the day – Glentoran prevailed 1-0.
It would have been nice if the underdog won the Cup, but unfortunately FC Larne was unable to do so.
Glentoran (Belfast) won its 13th Cup and it was 4th in a row – a curious record, for very rarely the same club wins national cup year after year in any country.

Iceland – ranked 31st. Valur dominated. 3 points for a win and 1 for a tie, still a rarity at the time.
Leiftur (Olafsfjördur) finished 2nd in the Second Division and earned promotion.
Víkingur (Reykjavík) won the Second Division with 35 points – 3 points ahead of Leiftur – and went back to top flight.
FH Hafnarfjördur finished last in First Division with 16 points and was relegated. Viðir (Gardur) was most unfortunate – 9th with 17 points and relegated as well, but only on single goal worse goal-difference than Völsungur (Husavík). Up the table – ÍA Akranes finished 3rd with 30 points. Fram (Reykjavík) took 2nd place with 32 points. But one team dominated the championship.
Valur (Reykjavík) won 10 games, tied 7 and lost just one match. They scored 30 goals – two teams scored more – and received 10, the best defensive record by far. 37 points – Fram ended with 5 less. All and all, it was the 19th title for Valur.
The Cup final opposed Víðir to Fram, but the difference in class was too big: Fram walked over their opponents – 5-0.
Viðir (Gardur) – one can feel sorry for them: trying hard, coming close, but… lost the Cup final and were relegated from First Division.
Fram (Reykjavík) had very satisfying season – the title was unreachable, but they were still 2nd and winning the Cup was great. It was their 6th.

Malta – ranked 32nd. This season was probably the best ever in the history of Hamrun Spartans. It was also the sorry end of the great 4-years spell of Rabat Ajax. Invisible in the lower echelons were clubs like

Naxxar Lions and
Vittoriosa Stars.
Mosta won the Second Division championship and was happily promoted. Back: S. Muscat, M. Chircop, S. Cuschieri, E. Tabone, J. Degiorgio, M. Ciantar, R. Borg, G. Muscat, P. Vella II, C. Schembri. Seated: L. Deguara, E. Buhagiar, P. Vella I, J. Attard (coach), A. Gatt, J. Busuttil, M. Muscat. Inset: I. Galea, F. Sant.
Birkirkara ended 2nd in the Second Division and also earned promotion.
First Division was more interesting at the bottom than at the top. But what is ‘bottom’? The Maltese First Division was tiny, the smallest in Europe – just 8 teams. Thus, almost everybody was in danger of going down. Four teams were considered candidates for the title before the start of the season – half the league! Reality was different.
Tarxien Rainbows was last, pretty much expected – they got just 3 points, absolute outsiders. But the other relegated team was considered a title contender before the start of the season – Rabat Ajax, the reigning champions and going through great spell already for 4 years. Internal troubles, however, brought them down – they finished 7th with 12 points and plummeted down to Second Division. Interestingly, they finished with positive goal-difference: 21-13. Only two teams had it better.
Up the table, it was mostly battle for survival and teams took places mostly according to the moment they managed to get themselves together.
Hibernians escaped by a point – they ended 6th with 13 points.
Slightly better, Zurrieq and Valletta FC, considered both title contenders before the start of the season, managed to climb up, but no more than fighting each other for second place. They finished with 16 points each and Zurrieq had far better goal-difference. But goal-difference did not count and play-off was staged – perhaps experience was the decisive factor here: Valletta FC prevailed 2-1 and got silver medals.

The champion was decided rather early – Hamrun Spartans were strong from start. To a point, it was surprising performance – Hamrun Spartans were not considered among the favourites before the opening of the season. It was fantastic run of the underdog: 11 wins, 3 ties, not a single loss, 25-6 goal-difference, 25 points. Overwhelming superiority and well deserved title, which was their 5th.

Perhaps it was lucky signing of imported player – the English striker Barry Galagher proved a formidable addition to the squad. He spent years in the lower English leagues, but was great for Maltese club.
Hamrun Spartans, invigorated by Galagher, reached the Cup final as well, where they met Sliema Wanderers. The final almost enraged fans, because it was scheduled on Sunday morning and lacked entertainment. The Spartans quickly got 2-0 lead and after that mostly kept the Wanderers at bay. Yet, their opponents tried to turn the game around and managed to score a goal in the second half. But no more and Hamrun Spartans won 2-1 and got the Cup. It was their 3rd.
Not sure, but possibly that was the Hamrun Spartans squad which won a double, their first. Fantastic season indeed, in which they did not lose any games and were vastly superior to all opponents.

Europe, according to UEFA’s club ranking. Luxembourg – last, 33rd. Two teams battled for the title, nothing more.
US Rumelange finished 2nd in the Second Division and earned promotion. Rather dramatic – clinched the spot on 1 goal better goal-difference.
Aris Bonnevoie won the Second Division championship with 34 points and returned to top flight.
Two outsiders in the top league – CS Petange was last with 10 points and FC Wiltz 71, also with 10 points, a place above on better goal-difference. Both relegated. CA Spora Luxembourg got bronze medals with 30 points, but that was their maximum – they had nothing to do with the title. Avenir Beggen eventually lost the fight, settling on 2nd place with 35 points.
Jeunesse d’Esch/Alzette finished first after 17 wins, 4 ties, and single loss. 64-14 goal-difference, 38 points and 20th title! Great achievement.
Avenir Beggen met CA Spora Luxembourg at the Cup final and completely destroyed the number 3 team in the country: 6-0.
Avenir lost the championship, but won its 3rd Cup.

The final. Chile never won Copa America and very much wanted to get it at last. Uruguay had a chance to equalize the record of Argentina, if winning the title for 9th time. The stakes were high. But it the 1980s and South America… high stakes practically predetermined the match, which immediately followed the pattern of the whole championship. Little football was played, it was just vicious battle.

The peace ended right here – at the picture of captains and referees before the start. The great Brazilian Romualdo Arppi Filho officiated the final and he followed his motto “I always tell the players – you play, I judge’, and he was often criticized for that – this final was no exception.
There was no football at all – the great finalists went into kicking each other from the start of the game and never stopped. The Chileans were livelier at first and looked more dangerous. But they also displayed some naivety – they kicked the Uruguayans quite openly.
The Uruguayans were crafty – they perfected dirty play long time ago: it always looked a borderline, may be they really played for the ball, but missed it in the last moment and kicked Chilean shin instead. Nevertheless, Arppi Filho had to blow the whistle twice in a single minute.
Football was hardly played at all – if a player was brought down already and managed to try some pass in front of the net, a whole bucket of players was there fighting for it by every possible mean. Eventually, the Chileans got some chances to score in the first half, but missed the net. But it was largely ugly kicking opponents – the Uruguayans just equally kicked every Chilean in sight, Chileans focused on Francescoli. It was so blatant and provocative, that even Arppi Filho run out of options to stay blind – he had no chance, but to red card Eduardo Gomez in the 14th minute. What else he can do? Francescoli was kicked about 4 times in succession in less than a minute.
Yes, Arppi Filho had to be blamed: the ugliness was clear from start, but he only registered fouls and did not yellow-card anybody, nor he warned anybody. The brutality only escalated and the rather late expulsion of Gomez did not help – Francescoli was already greatly provoked, the Chileans saw that and continued to kick him at every moment he got the ball. And after another serial kicking Francescoli snapped in the 27th minute and tried to retaliate. However, what followed only added to the ill spirit of the game: Francescoli was red-carded for what seemed to be arguing with the referee. Now it looked like Uruguay was wrong by the official… he permitted the provocative hunt, expulsion of Gomez was done reluctantly, just because there was no other way at the moment, Francescoli was steadily kicked around after that without even a warning to the culprits, and at the end he – and not the guilty Chilean – was out of the game as if Arppi Filho wanted to restore equal numbers of both teams. Nothing was done to pacify the opponents and bring them back to playing some football – on the contrary, it looked rather as signal by the referee to continue the slaughter. And both teams did just that.
It was, however, familiar and may be even preferable set-up for Uruguay – and they did not miss their rare opportunity to score in the 56th minute. Bengoechea did not miss the chance. In the second half Uruguay looked a bit more dangerous than Chile.

The war continued to the end – and in the 88th minute the Uruguayan captain Perdomo and the Chilean Fernando Astengo were red-carded. Perhaps the picture shows the only difference between the teams: Perdomo still claims innocence and Astengo is somewhat resigned – caught in middle of the crime, guilty as charged. Both teams ended with 9 men on the pitch, but frankly the game should have been abandoned may be around the 35th minute. Then again… stopping the game would have been impossible: no matter how violent, it was the final of a ‘new’ Copa America, promoting it’s ‘modern’ formula and image. It was… lose-lose situation. So, the terrible thing finished on time and Uruguay won.

The warriors got the cup and the medals – Perdomo and Francescoli as well, no matter they have been red-carded.

Team Uruguay did its round of triumph, looking not happy, but exhausted.
Chile finished second. Forth time second, but once again they were unable to win. Given the poor quality of the final, it is hard to tell how good this vintage was – certainly, there was talent and promise for the future (Ivan Zamorano), but it was not a great squad. Yet, they eliminated Brazil and if anything, at least they did not look weaker than the final winners.
Champions! It depends how one looks at it – on one hand Uruguay defended its 1983 title and equalized Argentina at their own turf: now both countries were the most successful in South America with 9 titles each. Well, wait a minute… that was what some periodicals wrote in Europe at the time. In reality, Uruguay won its 13th title and no longer sharer the record with Argentina, which had won 12th times, lastly in 1959. Let stick to records as established now… Uruguay was number one team in South America and managed to eliminate 1986 World Champions on the way. It was also great to see much criticized and may be to a point improvised squad, led by temporary coach win. On the other hand… nothing so great. The whole championship was a disappointment. In terms of quality of the game, not only nothing new was showed, but it was particularly violent championship even by South American standards. Uruguay was no exception, ending the final with 9 men and red-carded were no others, but the prime stars of the team – ‘Prince’ Francescoli and captain Perdomo. Ugly was ‘old’ Uruguay at the 1986 World Cup and ugly was the new one in 1987. Yes, they were great fighters, very skilled in the art of killing opponents with borderline tackles, which were hard to really call deliberate. Yes, they possessed another great skill: to fight a war without losing their cool, preserving their tactical organization, but the plain fact was Uruguay fought a lot and played very little. It was so much in their blood, that young or old, experienced or not, the Uruguayans player were capable to prevail in such wars and use to their advantage whatever minimal opportunity availed. Thus, they scored and Chile did not – in the 1980s it was already clear that football became a matter of using single opportunity, scoring one goal by hook or crook, and victory was yours. Credit to coach Fleitas and the players for managing to be closely knit collective, to stay focused, to give their best to the very end, but the champions were not a great team. No exciting new name emerged and Franescoli did not shine as he did 4 years earlier. That is the more objective conclusion, but still it was great to see small country coming on top and at least at home it was a moment of triumph.

The 3rd place match. Argentina – Colombia. This was new, introduced in the new Copa America format in time when 3rd-place games lost their appeal. And even more so in this case, for Argentina lost the big derby and playing for less than the title… well, only 5000 attended, compared to 75 000 in the semi-final against Uruguay.
Even Maradona was unable to get bigger interest and support… and rightly so: Colombia was leading 2-0 by the 28th minute.
There was another hero already – Pibe Valderama.
He was known in South America, of course, but at this tournament the world really ‘discovered’ him – with inevitable mistakes, as the French one here, calling him Delgado and Paraguayan.
Valderama did more than Maradona on top of everything – he could be seen defending at the goal line trying to prevent Caniggia from scoring. Meantime Hiquita did not make stupid mistakes and all Argentine efforts amounted to single goal by Caniggia in the 85th minute. Thus Argentina lost again. Symbolicly, heavy fog fell down in the last minutes, as if to pull curtain down on Argentine shame.
Bilardo constantly talked and warned the public that his team was tired, not ready, had injured players, and whatever else excuses, but it was no good: Argentina was not happy, the country wanted victory and it was greatly humiliated by the Uruguayans. May be Bilardo made a crucial mistake by not calling experimental squad, but he was not such a coach on one hand and on the other – Argentina was hosting Copa America, so nothing by victory counted. At the end – disgrace.
Colombia was more than pleasant surprise: there was talented bunch of young players, coached by equally young Francisco Maturana. They were just emerging, in a building process yet, but pushing ahead. Third place hardly mattered anymore, but it was achievement for them, getting noticed and getting confident. Colombia was pleasant and inventive team, conducted by the elegant and imaginative magician Carlos Valderama.
And at the end he – not Maradona – was named the best player of the championship. Rightly and deserving so.