Argentina, II Division. This is the pyramid concerning the Metropolitano Championship, of course. 22 teams, divided in 2 subgroups, but playing against the teams from the opposite group as well. One team was directly promoted – the one with the most points from any group. The second promotional spot was decided between the next top placed teams – 4 from the group where the divisional winner played and the top 4 teams from the other group. After direct eliminations the winner got the second promotional spot. As for relegation, it was decided by separate table, taking into account the last three seasons and the the 2 teams with the lowest average went down. Thus, Deportivo Armenio and Arsenal (Sarandi) went down to 3rd Division. Not at all surprising – they finished at the bottom of Group A as well: Arsenal 10th with 36 points and Deportivo Armenio – 11th with 23 points.
As for the championship as a whole, down on their luck were Quilmes, not long ago high in the top league. Now they were 8th in Group B. Colon (Santa Fe) was also in trouble – 8th in Group A.
All Boys, a modest club anyway, was perhaps worse than usual this year – 10th in Group B and dangerously low in the 3-year relegation table – 19th and with the same average as El Porvenir. Next year would be really tough – relegation had to be avoided at all costs, but was it possible?
The most famous club playing second division football now was Racing Club (Avellaneda) and they were quite fragile – still having a chance of returning to the top division after the regular championship, but not particularly big one: they finished 2nd in Group A, but 16 points behind the champions.
The other possible candidate for promotion, by reputation, was Gimnasia y Esgrima (La Plata) – 4th in Group A. The rest of the possible candidates were smaller, more third than second rate clubs – Argentino (Rosario), 3rd and Tigre, 5th, from Group A and the top 4 from Group B: Defensores de Belgrano, 1st, Lanus, 2nd, Nueva Chicago, 3rd, and Deportivo Moron, 4th.
In the first round of the play-offs Nueva Chicago lost to Lanus 1-3 and 1-1. The second leg was suspended in the 57th minute, most likely because of violence and replayed later. Tigre – to Defensores de Belgrano 1-4 and 0-0, Deportivo Moron to Racing Club 1-2 and 1-0. Both teams won the away leg and the rule of more away goals decided the winner. Argentino lost to Gimnasia y Esgrima 1-1 and 1-2.
Argentino (Rosario) had surprisingly strong season, but unfortunately they were not a winning squad. They stood their ground against Gimnasia y Esgrima, but were still eliminated by a single goal.
In the ½ finals Racing eliminated Lanus 2-1 and 1-0.
Lanus were still lowly, mostly second division club, so it was good run for them, even after elimination.
Same for Defensores de Belgrano – they did their best and lost by a singly goal to Gimnasia y Esgrima – 2-2 and 0-1.
Thus, the final was between the likeliest candidates for promotion and the biggest names in the second division: Racing Club (Avellaneda) and Gimnasia y Esgrima (La Plata). GELP practically decided the outcome in the first leg, which they won 3-1 in inhospitable Avellaneda. Back home in La Plata they won again by 2 goals difference: 4-2. Racing had to stay in the lower division, to their shame and the jeers of Independiente fans.
Gimnasia y Esgrima or GELP, or simply Gimnasia, won promotion and this was great relieve fot the second club of La Plata. Now they had the chance to fight directly the arch-enemy Estudiantes. Standing from left: Castagneto, Kuzemka, Ingrao, Bianculli, Tempesta.
First row: Andrada, Marasco, Carrió, Rubén Ramírez, Pedrazzi, Lúquez.
No famous players here, but what could be expected from a club suffering largely second division football for years. Going up was just wonderful by itself.
The other promoted team – rather, the first promoted team – did not have worries of play-offs: they were the champions of the league of merit.
Deportivo Espanol, hailing from Flores, Buenos Aires, is not a club readily coming to mind – among the countless clubs in Buenos Aires, they were something like 3rd raters. First division was not their usual dwelling. But they had fantastic season this year: 30 wins, 7 ties, 5 losses, 73-30 goal-difference and 67 points. No other club from either group came even remotely near them – Defensores de Belgrano, the winners of Group B, ended with 55 points. Racing Club had 51. Deportivo Espanol simply dominated the season and rightly won the championship and enjoyed much desired promotion.
Standing from left: Donaires, Clide Díaz, Zárate, Correa, Catalano, D’Angelo.
First row: Ojeda, Lorea, Crespo, Moreno, Candau.
Since Deportivo Espanol is rarely heard-of name and success is similarly sparse for them, one more look at the Second Division champions of Argentina:
Good luck to them in the first division next year.