Campeonato Nacional had different formula and perhaps was more dramatic – for all the wrong reasons – than Campeonato Metropolitano, but it was no different in terms the current form and fate of the clubs. The small club, which qualified from the distant provinces were weaker than the well established names and none made a big surprise. In general, just happy to rub shoulders with the famous clubs. 32 teams divided into 8 groups at first, the top 2 of each qualifying to the second round and from there to the final, it was standard cup formula – direct elimination in 2 legs.
Boca Juniors was unable to reach even the second round – they finished 3rd in Group A, losing qualifying spot to Talleres on worse goal-difference.
Ferro Carril Oeste (General Pico) was last in the group, Talleres, 2nd, and Newell’s Old Boys, 1st, qualified.
Group B. Temperley was 4th,
Union (General Pinedo) – 3rd. It was curious group – three of the teams finished with 5 ties and 1 loss (all lost a game to group winners and tied every other match). Goal-difference was not enough to deliberate – Union and Gimnasia y Esgrima (Mendoza) finished both the same goal-difference -1. Most scored goals decided the matter and Union lost – they scored 6, Gimnasia y Esgrima scored 10 goals. San Lorenzo won the group after beating every opponent once and tying the second leg.
Group C. Central Norte (Salta) was 4th and Velez Sarsfield – 3rd. Rosario Central, 2nd, and Belgrano (Cordoba), 1st, qualified.
Group D. The favourites had it really easy.
Atletico Uruguay (Concepcion Uruguay) was last, earning just 1 point and were the team receiving most goals in the opening phase: 24. Playing on legendary Estadio Monumental was perhaps the best moment in their lives.
Estudiantes (Rio Cuarto), similar to Atletico Uruguay, were slightly better and 3rd. Huracan was 2nd and River Plate – 1st. Both big names went ahead, of course.
Group E. Altos Hornos Zapla (Jujuy) was last. Platense was unlucky 3rd, losing qualification of worse goal-difference. Instituto (Cordoba) clinched the 2nd place and Ferro Carril Oeste (Buenos Aires) was on top.
Group F. A bit of a scandal here.
Kimberley (Mar del Plata) ended last and nothing strange in that. Standing from left: Iglesias, Fernández, Gonzalbe, Marcelo Arce, Roldán, Gaspani, De Santis, Maffioni, Solaberrieta, Pomero, Santecchia, Laxalde.
First row: Sergio Trebini, Fabián Martínez, Peralta, Zwicker, Victor Arce, Da Silva, Surace, Rivera, Silva, Miori, Jacquet.
Chacarita Juniors was 3rd. That was because of 6-point deduction – for what were they penalized is unknown now, but surely was serious infraction. Thanks to this penalty, Atletico Tucuman ended 2nd and qualified to the next round. Independiente won the group.
Group G.
Atletico Ledesma (Jujuy) was predictably last. Union (Santa Fe) – 3rd. Terrible season for them in both Metropolitano and Nacional. Racing (Cordoba), 2nd, and Argentinos Juniors, 1st, qualified.
Group H. Union San Vicente (Cordoba) was 4th and Atlanta – 3rd. Olimpo (Bahia Blanca) finished 2nd and Estudiantes (La Plata) – 1st.
Estudiantes had the strongest record in the group phase – 5 wins and 1 tie. True, they had easy group.
In the next stage Estidiantes, Olimpo, Racing (Cordoba), Atletico Tucuman, Instituto, Huracan, Rosario Central, and Gimnasia y Esgrima (Mendoza) were eliminated.
In the quarterfinals Belgrano (Cordoba) fell victim of River Plate.
Belgrano lost 0-4 at homeand it was all over. They won the away leg 2-0, but knew they had no chance.
This is the end of the road for Independiente as well. Standing from left: Goyén, Zimmermann, Trossero, Villaverde, Marangoni, Clausen.
First row: Enrique Sánchez, Giusti, Burruchaga, Bochini, Barberón.
They lost to Ferro Carril Oeste after 1-1 in Buenos Aires and 0-1 at home in Avellaneda.
Argentinos Juniors, playing on Ferro Carril Oeste’s stadium for some reason, was also eliminated – they clinched 2-1 victory over Talleres in the first leg, but lost 2-4 in Cordoba.
Newell’s Old Boys put the fight, but San Lorenzo prevailed – 2-2 and 1-2.
The semi-finals:
San Lorenzo went that far and no further, losing both legs to River Plate – 1-2 and 1-2.
Talleres also finishe here, losing to Ferro Carril Oeste 0-1 in Buenos Aires and failing to win in Cordoba – 1-1.
So, the final opposed River Plate to Ferro Carril Oeste. At fist glance, no doubt who was the favourite. But a closer look does not make predictions easy: Ferro Carril was in great from and almost won Metropolitano. River Plate was shaky, at best. Sure, they wanted to win and also had better squad on paper. But all was just empty talk and hopes, more or less finished in the first leg, which River Plate lost on home turf 0-3. Dispirited, they lost the second leg as well – 0-1.
No comment, really. River Plate lost without even scoring a goal the Campeonato Nacional final and the season left them empty-handed. No comfort in the fact they played much better than Boca Juniors… a season without a trophy is a catastrophe for River.
The great joy was experienced in other parts of Buenos Aires, than the usual ones. Silent Boca, Parque Patricios, Nunez, Nueva Pompeya and Paque Chacabuco, but festive Villa General Mitre (Argentinos Juniors) and now – Balvanera, the stronghold of Ferro Carril Oeste. Which stadium saw this year’s success of two clubs, since Argentinos Juniors used it too. It was truly the year of the underdog – Argentinos Juniors was called a team without stars; Ferro Carril Oeste had even less. Oscar Garre was the only big name and Marcico and Canete had good reputations, but that was just about all – Hector Cuper was hardly famous player. But this was arguably the greatest squad of Ferro Carril Oeste and certainly the most successful – they won the 2nd title in the history of the club, after winning the first in 1982. Both times Ferro won Campeonato Nacional, but this year they came very close to winning Campeonato Metropolitano too. Famous, not famous, they clearly outplayed mighty River Plate at the final. These years were the golden period for the otherwise modest club.