Bolivia. A nightmarish championship impossible to grasp. 13 teams played in the top league, but only 11 played in the first half of it, or Apertura. Why? A question without answer. As few other things. Two teams were relegated – how it was decided who to go out is a mystery, but at least the unfortunates are known: San Pedro (Cochabamba) and Litoral (La Paz). From the lower level 3 teams were promoted somehow – apparently, the top league was going to be 14 teams next season. The lucky ones were:
Chaco Petrolero (La Paz)
Petrolero (Cochabamba), and
Orcobol (Cochabamba). This may be a photo of happily promoted Orcobol, but one cannot be sure.
In any case, the Bolivian championship was mainly a battle between the cities of La Paz, Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Cochabamba – next year in the top league would play 4 teams from La Paz, 4 from Santa Cruz de la Sierra and 3 from Cochabamba.
So, 11 teams in the Apertura, which went through 3 stages. In the first stage the 11 teams were divided into 2 groups and the top 4 teams in each group qualified to the second stage. For reason unknown, but surely wise one, Litoral (La Paz) and Always Ready (La Paz) did not participate. The number of games each team played in the first stage makes no sense: Serie B had teams and they played 12 games each. Three times against each other, it seems. Serie A had 6 teams, but 4 of them played 14 games and 2 teams played 12 games. Bolivar and San Jose (Oruro) played fewer games for ‘not having an inter-series rival’ and for that privilege they received 2 points each. The second stage was smooth affair: two groups of 4 teams, round-robin tournament, every team played twice against the rest of the group. The top 2 teams in each group sailed to the semifinals, played in two legs and the winners played a two-leg final. Which was undecided, for goals did not count and final play-off followed. Oriente Petrolero and Bolivar met at the final. At home, Oriente Petrolero won 2-1, then lost 0-2 in La Paz. The third match was played in neutral Cochabamba and Oriente Petrolero won 1-0.
Bolivar finished 2nd.
Oriente Petrolero won the Apertura. Thus, Oriente Petrolero qualified to the grand final for the title.
The Clausura followed. This time all teams played, divided in 3 groups. Teams had bonus points unclear from where and for what, but started the Clausura with them. Serie A was made from the teams of Santa Cruz de la Sierra and played in the city. 3 teams qualified from this group the second stage. Serie B was played in La Paz and was made of local teams only – 2 teams qualified to the next stage. Serie C was made of the rest – 2 teams from Cochabamba plus the representatives of Oruro, Tarija, and Sucre – it was not played in one city, like the other groups, and 3 teams qualified to the next stage.
This was the end of season for Destroyers (Santa Cruz de la Sierra) – they finished last in Serie A.
Litoral (La Paz) and Always Ready (La Paz) ended the season after finisheing 3rd and 4th in Serie B. For Litoral it was amazingly short season: since they did not play in the Apertura, their whole season was made of the first stage of Clausura – a grand total of 6 games of which they lost 4 and won only one.
In Serie C Jorge Wilstermann was 4th and San Pedro 5th – the season ended for them, leaving Cochabamba without a team going ahead and thus making this season terrible as a whole. San Pedro was last in its group in the Apertura and last again in the Clausura.
The second stage was a copy of second stage Apertura: 8 teams divided into 2 groups, the top 2 going to the Clausura semifinals. This stage ended the season for Independiente Petrolero (Sucre), Ciclon (Tarija), Real Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz de la Sierra), and
Blooming (Santa Cruz de la Sierra).
Clausura semifinals:
The Strongest (La Paz) lost to Bolivar 1-2 and 3-4.
San Jose (Oruro) was eliminated by Oriente Petrolero, although it is unclear why: the results were 0-3 and 3-0. May be a penalty shoot-out? No record… Standing from left: Arnaldo Mansilla, José Daniel Valencia (Argentine), Marcos Francisquine, Freddy Cossio, Roberto Pérez, Luís Esteban Galarza. First row: Luis E. Padilla, Dionisio N. Gutiérrez, Juan C. Sánchez, José Luis Valverde, Silvio Rojas.
Thus, the Clausura final repeated the Apertura final: Oriente Petrolero against Bolivar. And it was full repetition… at home, Bolivar won 4-1, then lost 1-2 away, and third match was scheduled, like in the Apertura, in Cochabamba. It ended 1-1 and in the following penalty shoot-out Oriente Petrolero prevailed 4-3.
Bolivar (La Paz) was second again and, thus, overall second, which was not what club and fans expected, but at least the team qualified to the Copa Libertadores.
Oriente Petrolero (Santa Cruz de la Sierra) won both Aperura and Clausura and that canceled grand final between the winners of the two parts of the championship: the team was the champion of Bolivia. Great success, no doubt – this was their 3rd title, but they had to wait a whole decade for it, after winning their 2nd in 1979. Not an easy success, but leaving no doubts – Oriente Petrolero won both the Apertura and the Clausura.
Meteor – true to its name, this club is difficult to find today, if it exists at all. Possibly from Lima, they played in the Metropolitan league, finishing last in both Regional I and Regional II. Naturally, relegated and disappeared from sight and mind.
This may be a photo of Alipio Ponce from the season.
15 de Septiembre (Trujillo) was relegated from North.
Atletico Belen (Moyobamba) were relegated from Oriental. Again, a mystery… why 2 teams were relegated from the smallest regional league?
Atletico Huracan (Moquegua) was relegated from South. The photo may be from this season.
Sport Boys (Callao) won Regional I – may be a bit lucky, but winners. So far, they qualified to the next Copa Libertadores and had a good chance to be Peruvian champions too.
Deportivo AELU (Lima) – 11th with 14 points. Standing from left: Pedro Bonelli, Luis García, Gabriel Kanashiro, Robert Yamamoto, Willy Uehara, Juan Mármol. First row: Carlos Takeuchi, Edwin Uehara, Juan José Oré, Luis Chiaveri, Alberto Akatsuka.
Internazionale (San Borja) – 10th with 16 points.
Octavio Espinoza (Ica) – 9th with 18 points. May be a photo from this season.
San Agustin (Lima) – 8th with 18 points.
Sporting Cristal (Lima) – 7th with 21 points. Standing from left: Percy Olivares, Luis Avila, Jorge Arteaga, Jorge Olaechea, Miguel Miranda. Crouching: Francesco Manassero, Pablo Zegarra, Pedro Novella, Julio César Antón, Oscar Calvo, Luis Redher.
Defensor (Lima) – 6th with 24 points. Standing from left: Manuel Earl, Lucio Del Mul,
Deportivo Municipal (Lima) – 5th with 25 points.
Union (Huayllaspanca) – may be a photo of the season, may be 8th… One thing is sure: not only Sport Boys used pink.
Deportivo (Junin) – may be 2nd.
Atletico Grau (Piura) – may be 10th.
Deportivo Canana (Lambayeque) – may be 9th.
Deportivo Morba (La Esperanza) – may be 7th.
Libertad (Trujillo) – may be 6th.
Atletico Torino (Talara) – may be 5th.
UTC – Universidad Tecnica (Cajamarca) – may be 4th.
Carlos A. Mannucci (Trujillo) – may be 3rd.
Deportivo Pacifico (Tumbes) – may be 2nd, may be a photo of this season.
Deportivo Hospital (Pucallpa) – may be 3rd, may be a photo of the season. They had their day in the first part of the championship, but could not repeat it.
Juvenil Los Angeles (Moquegua) – may be 7th.
Diablos Rojos (Juliaca) – may be 3rd.
Aurora (Arequipa) – may be 2nd.
Union (Tarapoto) was eliminated by Universitario 0-5 and 1-1. All depends on size… small and little known Union had a season to remember: they reached Octagonal stage, a big achievement for almost anonymous club.
ADT (Tarma) was destroyed by Alianza: 0-1 and 0-6. May be a photo of this season.
FBC Melgar had no luck – and Sport Boys again had luck on their side: 2-1, 0-1, and finally Melgar went down in the penalty shoot-out 4-5.
Union (Huaral) lost to Alianza Atletico 1-1 and 0-1.
Alianza Atletico (Sullana) finished last with 2 points.
Alianza (Lima) -2nd with 4 points and 4-2 goal-difference.
Callao lost the rivalry with Lima – Sport Boys had wonderful season, yet, one cannot help but notice that they were lucky of few crucial occasions. But good luck does not run forever – Sport Boys was seemingly weaker at the Liguilla Final of Regional II. Out of steam, they lost the title. Still, very strong season. Only players, standing from left: Roberto Arrelucea, Leoncio Cervera,Martín Duffo, Ochandarte, Quiroz, César Chavez Riva. Front: Abel Lobatón, NN, Atoche, Oswaldo Flores, Ramón Anchisi.
Universitario (Lima) won the final and its 19th title. Strong season – they won the Metropolitan league in the first part of the championship and ended 2nd in Regional I. They were 3rd in the Metropolitan league in the second part and battled hard to win Regional II against the arch-enemy Alianza and prevailed. At the championship final they were clearly much stronger than Sport Boys – well deserved title! All together, the champions played 45 games – 2 more than Sport Boys – of which they 26, tied 12, and lost 7. Scored 87 goals, received 29. Sport Boys had considerably weaker record – they did not win neither Metropolitan championship, played 2 games less than Universitario and won 17, tied 20, and lost 6. Scored 64 goals, received 41. Most of all, Universitario was evenly strong during the whole season – Sport Boys looked like running out of steam near the end. As for the squad… it is hard to tell: Peruvian football was not at its best at this time and no outstanding players were around. This applies, inevitably, to the champions too. Perhaps not a great team, but champions are champions.
Juventus (Esmeraldas) was last with 7 points and was relegated to play in Second Division for the rest of the season.
Universidad Catolica (Quito) won the First Stage of Second Division and was promoted to play the rest of the season in First Division. This was the first time Universidad Catolica won Second Division championship, for this stage was counted as somewhat separate championship due to the immediate promotion of the winner. So, a trophy was collected by Universidad Catolica.
Aucas (Quito) was weak and finished last with 0.5 points – they lost 5 games and tied 1. Relegated, therefore.
Macara (Ambato), so weak until this stage and prime candidate for relegation, pulled itself together when it came to the question of life and death: they won 3 matches, tied 1 and lost 2. Their minus bonus placed them 3rd instead of 2nd, but they achieved their goal – avoided relegation.
Tecnico Universitario (Ambato) ended 2nd with 7 points.
Filanbanco (Guayaquil) finished 1st with 9 points. First, second… in this group the only point was not to finish last.
Centro Juvenil (Esmeraldas) won the second part of Second Division championship and was promoted. Like Universidad Catolica, they won the Second Division for the first time, but were going to play First Division football in 1991.
A possible picture of Deportivo Cuenca – they ended last in the group with 4 points.
Deportivo Quito failed when mattered most – 3rd with 6.5 points.
Delfin (Manta) – 3rd with 5 points. So-so season so far and no surprise heroics at the end.
El Nacional (Quito) finished last with 5 points. They collapsed at the end after having been so strong during the season. 1 win, 3 ties, 2 losses. However, complicated championships often provide ironic twists: El Nacional finished with the best scoring record in the Forth Stage: 11-8. Most goals scores and +3 goal-difference. All that because of their sole win – they destroyed Emelec 6-1.
Emelec (Guayaquil) was 3rd with 6 points: 2 wins, 2 ties, 2 losses, 6-9 goal-difference. They still had to play two more games: a play-off for 2nd place against Barcelona. Yet, they finished 3rd. As for their name, it is abbreviation and should be written as such: EMELEC from Empresa Electrica del Ecuador, the full name of the club, which after all is – or at least originally was – a company club.
Barcelona (Guayaquil) – 2nd with 6 points. 1 win, 4 ties, 1 lost match, 10-8. Their fantastic Copa Libertadores performance perhaps reduced their strength in the domestic championship. They were quite economical through the early stages, but even at the end they could not do much. Silver medals were secured only after a play-off against Emelec – Barcelona managed a 1-1 tie away and won 3-1 at home.
LDU (Quito) – Liga Deportiva Universitaria – won the final stage with 7 points. 3 wins, 1 tie, and 2 losses. Scoring record 7-9! The champions finished with negative goal-difference. Only Emelec di it worse than them. LDU won all home games in the final stage, but lost the away match against Barcelona 0-4. Yet, who cares? LDU won the title.
The champions were just one more case of teams playing wisely complicated championships: what was the point to spend much strength in the first and longest stage? In it LDU finished 5th – 9 points behind El Nacional. In the second stage they were 5th again in Group 1 – only Macara was behind them and that because of worse goal-difference. This time they were 12 points behind the group winner Deportivo Quito, winning just one match. Luck on their side in the aggregate table – they were 7th there, but only because Tecnico Universitario was penalized with deduction of 2 points. Barely qualifying to the Third Stage they accelerated at last and finished 2nd in Group 1. Enough to reach the final stage. And only here they played really strong, but compared to other teams, their strategy was perfect: Deportivo Quito did not reach the final stage at all, El Nacional fell apart after having been so strong earlier in the year. LDU was fresher when mattered most and prevailed. Thus, they won their 4th title – so far, not a club to be taken really as a leading one, for their successes were always after a long pauses: they waited 9 years for this one. This was also a success for the capital city, for Quito was losing the battle with Guayaquil already.
Cerro Cora (Asuncion) won the Second Division championship and was promoted to top flight.
Colegiales (Asuncion) prevailed at the play-off for Copa Libertadores over Sportivo Luqueno 3-1 and 2-1. Contrary to the proud text on the picture, they were not champions, although the team had good season and played all the way to the last group stage, in which they finished last in their group.
Guarani (Asuncion) had rather weak season – they ended the season at the third stage just behind Cerro Porteno, which took 3rd place thanks to 1 goal better goal-difference.
Olimpia (Asuncion) had fantastic international season and naturally appeared to be favourit in the league too, but they did not succeed – strong almost to the end, but at the crucial ½ final after the 4th stage they met Libertad, equally ambitious. Libertad won the first leg 2-1 and preserved their fragile advantage in the second leg – 1-1. Olimpia was out.
Thus, Cerro Porteno (Asuncion) won their 21st title. Stronger than rivals Olimpia, which were the strongest in South America and in the world… one can take it like that: the squad, by Paraguayan standards, matched Olimpia’s at least. However, only domestic triumph for Cerro Porteno…
America (Cali) won the Apertura with 19 points, followed by Independiente Santa Fe, Atletico Nacional and Millonarios – these 4 teams got bonus points, according to their final positions.
America won Finalizacion as well – with 40 points – followed by Deportivo Independiente, Bucaramanga, and Cali. These four got bonus points according to their positions.
Sporting Barranquilla (Barranquilla) – last with 22 points. Although Colombia was moving to introduce Second Division and promotion/relegation between the two top national leagues, it was not effective yet and Sporting Barranquilla remained top tier club. To row from left: Fabián Lara, Harold Freyle, Alex de Alba, Carlos Arroyo, Amado “El Gandhi” Rodríguez, Miguel Calero. Crouching: Chedy Devenich, Edison Domínguez, Adolfo Prescott, Yosvida Fuentes, Roberto Vizcaíno.
Cucuta Deprotivo (Cucuta) – 14th with 24 points. Top row from left: Luis C, Sánchez, Arsecio Correa, William Mosquera, Asdrúbal Álzate, José F. Salazar, Pedro Barbosa. First row: Francisco Cassiani, Héctor Ruiz, Carlos Guerrero, Juan Carlos Gutiérrez, Carlos Mario Molina.
Union Magdalena (Santa Marta) – 13th with 27 points.
Atletico Junior (Barranquilla) – 12th with 31 points.
Deportivo Tolima (Tolima) – 11th with 33 points.
Deportivo Pereira (Pereira) – 10th with 39 points.
Millonarios (Bogota) – 9th with 41 points. Standing from left: Sergio Goycochea,?, Cerveleón Cuesta, Wilman Conde, Eduardo Pimentel. Front: Carlos Enrique Estrada, ?, Oscar “Pájaro” Juárez, Hugo Galeano, Alberto Gamero, Freddy León.
Deportes Quindio (Quindio) – last with 5 points.
Deportivo Cali (Cali) – 3rd with 6.25 points.
Deportivo Independiente – or DIM (Medellin) – 4th with 5.75 points.
Cristal Caldas (Manizales) – 3rd with 6 points.
Independiente Santa Fe – 2nd with 6.75 points and Atletico Nacional – 1st with 7.50 points qualified to the final.
Atletico Bucaramanga (Bucaramanga) – 3rd with 5.50 points.
Atletico Nacional (Medellin) – 2nd with 7.50 points.
America (Cali) – first with 11 points. They did not lose a single game at this round: 3 wins and 3 ties. Scored 12 goals, permitting only 3 in their own net. 9 points from the final round were enough for the title, but since America carried 2 bonus points from the earlier stages, they finished with total of 11 points.
Brilliant season for America – they won every stage from start to finish and were particularly strong at the very end. Interestingly, the squad was not so well known as the team their closest rival Atletico Nacional had and even compared with some earlier squads of America they lacked well-known abroad players, but these boys played stronger than star-studded formations. Perhaps their best known player was the 29-years old Uruguayan midfielder Jorge Da Silva, a newcomer, coming from Palestino (Chile). The other 2 foreigners were both hardly known Argentines: the 28-years old striker Pedro Olalla and newcomer Jorge Balbis, 29-years old defender, arriving from Rosario Central (Argentina). Famous or not, newcomers or old hands, the players blended well together, delivered strong football during the whole season and brought back to Cali the title for the first time since 1986. It was the 7th title for America and becoming second all-time best club in Colombia – they pushed Independiente Santa Fe to 3rd position (6 titles), but were still far behind Millonarios (12 titles).
Huracan Buceo finished last with 10 points and was relegated. Standing from left: Jorge González, Blas A. Romero, Gerald Britos, Heber Pais, ?, Da Silva. First row: Julio Zoppi, Gustavo Badell, Oscar Quagliatta, ?, Washington Silva.
River Plate – 13th with 19 points.
Progreso – 11th with 22 points. The 1989 champions were now down the table… not unexpected, really. Perhaps playing on two fronts – domestic and Copa Libertadores – was too much for a modest team without stars.
Wanderers – 10th with 23 points.
Rentistas – 9th with 24 points. They were the team with most draws in the championship – 14 outs of 26 games played. Second row from left: José Rey, Enrique Debéllis, Julio Lancieri, Richard Acuña, Carlos Torales, Miguel Santos. Front: Víctor Rodríguez, José Chileli, Daniel Larumbe, Juan Lombardi, Alejandro Garay.
Defensor Sporting – 8th with 27 points. Top row from left: Ruben Silva, Marcelo Tejera, Guillermo Almada, Claudio Arbiza, H. Silva Cantera, Mario Gastán. Crouching: José Chilelli, José González, Héctor Rodríguez, William Gutiérrez, Peter Méndez.
Liverpool – 7th with 29 points.
Racing – 5th with 29 points.
Central Espanol – 4th with 29 points. Second row from left: Pablo Fuentes, Marcelo Paolino, Ruben Dos Santos, Andrés Silva, Fabián Tejera, Marcelo Fracchia. Front: Luis Chabat, Gustavo Ferreira, Gustavo Sarli, Enzo Azambuja, Alfredo Nocetti.
Penarol – 3rd with 31 points.
Bella Vista triumphed with the title after very strong season: 16 wins, 7 ties, 3 losses, 34-15 goal-difference and 39 points. They left Nacional 7 points behind! Excellent season and fantastic ending: Bella Vista not only never won a title before, but nobody ever expected them to win a title – they were modest club by all means, nothing in their tradition suggested such success. And with such a margin – beating occasionally Nacional and Penarol was rare achievement to brag about for years, but to leave them in the dust was fantastic. Well deserved victory, no doubt about it, and one more name was added to the short list of clubs having won the Uruguayan title. They also contributed to the great period of the small clubs: for a fourth year now the champion was neither Nacional, nor Penarol, the title going from smallish to smaller clubs, from Defensor Sporting in 1987 to Danubio the next year, to Progreso in 1989 and now to Bella Vista. As for the squad, the new champions were anonymous just like those before them – a nice success of determined team, but also betraying the general weakness of the big clubs: by now practically all good Uruguayan players played football abroad, even Nacional and Penarol had no worthy starts – just look at their squads: the only recognizable name was the import Dely Valdez, himself not from a country known for great football and players. Thus, the underdogs got their chance.
First time and rare one at that more than deserves a second photo: here they are the 1990 champions of Uruguay Bella Vista. Instant legend for the club’s supporters, who knew quite well that a second title would be… impossible.
One more look then at heroic Bella Vista.
Miramar Misiones – 5th with 18 points. Standing from left: Romero, Néstor Goñez, Santiago Kalemkerián, Darlyn Gayol, Héctor Cedrés, Juan Tejera. Crouching: Oscar Suárez, Pablo Guidi, Fierro, Varela, Etcheverry.
Colon – 4th with 19 points. Second row from left: ?, Aldo Beninca, Ruben Alzueta, Ruben Baeque, Richard Graña, Alvaro Albacete. Front: E. Vega, Hugo R. Guerra, Marcelo Ferreira, Marcelo Morán, Alberto Correa.
Basanez – 3rd with 23 points. A curious record they had: lost only 1 match, tied 11 out of 18 total, won 6.
Sud America – 2nd with 24 points.
El Tanque Sisley – 1st with 26 points.
El Tanque Sisley was the II Division champion and promoted to First Division. Excellent achievement for a club rarely playing top league football. Top row from left: Jorge Benítez (K), Heber Bentancur (U), Washington Castelnoble, Pablo Alonso, Gerardo Pilas, Ernesto Ledesma (AC), Richard Cardozo, Ruben De León, Abel Tolosa, Freddy Pintos, Ricardo Ortiz (E).
Huachipato ended last with 21 points and went down.
Deportes Iquique – 15th with 24 points and relegated.
Everton – 14th with 24 points. Escaped direct relegation on better goal-difference – by one goal – but still threatened with relegation: going to promotion/relegation play-off.
Naval (Talcahuano) – 13th with 25 points and going to promotion/relegation play-off.
Santiago Wanderers – 12th with 26 points.
Universidad de Chile – 11th with 26 points.
Fernandez Vial – 10th with 27 points.
Cobresal – 9th with 29 points.
Deportes La Serena – 8th with 30 points.
Cobreloa – 7th with 31 points.
Deportes Concepcion – 6th with 33 points.
Palestino – 5th with 33 points.
O’Higgins – 4th with 35 points (1 point added as Copa Chile semi-finalists).
Union Espanola – 3rd with 37 points (1 point added as Copa Chile semi-finalists).
Universidad Catolica – 2nd with 38 points (1 point added as Copa Chile semi-finalists).
Colo-Colo won the championship comfortably with 46 points. 2 points were added to their record because they won Copa Chile as well, but even additional points they had significant lead. 17 wins, 10 ties, only 3 lost games, 60-22 goal-difference. Universidad Catolica scored 4 goals more than the champions, but in defensive matters Colo-Colo had no rival – they allowed only 22 goals in their net (Universidad Catolica permitted 41). Second row from left: Jaime Pizarro, Ruben Espinoza, Javier Margas, Eduardo Vilches, Lizardo Garrido, Jose Daniel Moron. Front row: Marcelo Barticciotto, Ricardo Dabrowski, Ruben Martinez, Sergio Diaz, Raul Ormeño. Not widely known names here, but no doubt very strong by Chilean standards at the time.
By itself, nothing strange Colo-Colo dominated the championship and collected one more title, so perhaps for the moment trivia catches attention more than anything else: Soviet automotive manufacturer Lada sponsored Colo-Colo
and the captain sported the German flag on his armband. Signs of the time. Trivia is trivia, but this squad was going to make itself well known far beyond Chile very soon.
General Velasquez – last with 20 points and relegated.
Deportes Arica – 4th (10th) with 28 points and to promotion/relegation play-off.
Cobreandino – 2nd (8th) with 32 points.
Soinca Bata (Melipilla) – 1st (7th) with 32 points.
Regional Atacama – 4th with 37 points.
Audax Italiano – 3rd with 38 points.
Deportes Antofagasta – 2nd with 40 and going to promotion play-offs.
Coquimbo Unido – 1st with 43 points and promoted to First Division. They won both stages of the championship.
Deportes Valdivia – last with 24 points and relegated.
Curico Unido – 5th (11th overall) with 27 points and relegated.
Deportes Linares – 4th (10th) with 27 points.
Deportes Puerto Montt – 2nd (8th) with 30 points.
Deportes Lozapenco – 1st (7th) with 32 points. They had 3 points deducted for financial irregularities.
Lota Schwager – 6th with 26 points.
Nublense – 5th with 28 points.
Deportes Temuco – 4th with 33 points.
Deportes Colchagua – 3rd with 36 points.
Rangers – 2nd with 41 points and going to promotion play-off.
Provincial Osorno – 1st with 47 points and promoted to First Division. Like the winner of the North Zone, they won both stages of the championship. Provinical Osorno also was declared champion of Second Division – it is unclear whether they played and won a play-off against the champion of the North Zone or simply because they were the team finishing with most points in both zones.
Instituto (Cordoba) finished last with 26 points. They were last in the relegation table too and went down to Second Division. Standing form left: Daniel Wermer, Ariel Catinot, César Loza, Sergio Barbieri, Víctor H. Civarelli, Héctor Arzubialde. Front: Walter Fiori, Rivero, Walter Bello, Jorge Matheu, Luna.
Deportivo Espanol – 19th with 31 points. Thanks to earlier record, they had a chance to play in the Copa Libertadores, but lost the qualification tournament. Their strong standing in the relegation table, however, canceled worries about relegation.
Racing (Cordoba) – 18th with 32 points. As mentioned, they had to play a relegation playoff, lost it and went down. Bad year for the city of Cordoba, having two of its 3 top league teams relegated. Second row for m left: Miguel A, Barrios, Lucio Del Mul, Marcelo Quiñones, Eduardo Maldonado, Víctor H. Sotomayor, Juan Bogado (uruguayan). Front: Luis Amuchástegui, Daniel A. Ergo, José A. Barrela, Américo Ozán, Juan Ramón Comas.
Chaco For Ever – 17th with 32 points. Just promoted from Second Division – which was a great success for them – they were in danger of going back to their more familiar league, but managed to stay at least for one more season after destroying Racing (Cordoba) in the relegation playoff.
Estudiantes (La Plata) – 16th with 34 points. Terrible season, really.
San Lorenzo – 15th with 35 points. Standing from left: Riquelme, G.Gonzalez, Bernuncio, Siviski, Docabo, Marchi. Crouching: Carrasco, Villarreal, Ferreyra, Tempone, Calbanese.
Platense – 14th with 36 points.
Union (Santa Fe) – 13th with 36 points.
Newell’s Old Boys – 12th with 36 points. They had 2 points deducted for fans violence. Second row from left: Franco, Martino, Scoponi, Theiler, Fullana, Pochettino. Front: Saldana, Llop, Videla, Falero, Cerino.
Talleres (Cordoba) – 11th with 36 points. Like Newell’s Old Boys, they were penalized with 2-point deduction for violence.
Deportivo Mandiyu – 10th with 36 points. Top row from left: Pedro D. Barrios (uruguayan), Dante Unali, Rubén Cousillas, Pablo Suárez, Elio Rodríguez (uruguayan), César Vega (uruguayan). Crouching: Carlos Tapia, Ricardo Perdomo (uruguayan), Juan C. Verón, Daniel Leani, Félix Torres (paraguayan). Heavily relying on foreign players.
Argentinos Juniors – 9th with 38 points.
Racing (Avellaneda) – 8th with 39 points.
Ferro Carril Oeste – 6th with 39 points.
Velez Sarsfield – 5th with 42 points. Back row from left: Coloccini, Bartero, Simeone, Giuntini, Mancuso, Lucca. Crouching: Funes, Gareca, Morresi, Zarate, Cardozo.
Rosario Central – 4th with 43 points. They had 2 points deducted for violence. Participated in the Copa Libertadores qualification tournament and lost.
Boca Juniors – 3rd with 43 points. Won the Copa Libertadores qualification tournament and thus was the second Argentine representative in the international tournament.
Independiente – 2nd with 46 points. Distant second, no chance for a title this season, but they also lost the Copa Libertadores qualification tournament and that may have been bigger disappointment.
Very strong season for River Plate. They dominated the championship, leaving all others far behind. 20 wins, 13 draws, 5 losses, 48-20 goal-difference, 53 points. They finished 7 points ahead of Independiente and won their 22nd title. May be not an exceptional squad and perhaps lacking strong goalkeeper, but compared to any other team in the league River Plate had the formidable squad and the season left no doubt about it.