Diego Maradona match career reports (1976-1997)

Taking into account this review:


One wonders if Diego produced the best performance against Scotland as a visiting foreigner at Hampden Park. There was Puskas in 1954 in a 4-2 win. Di Stefano for Spain in a 2-4 loss in 1957. Pelé in 1966 in a 1-1 draw. Eusebio twice in 1966 (1-0 win) and in 1971 in a 1-2 loss. But none ever scored nor made the impression that Diego received in the local paper headlines. There was Bobby Charlton who made his debut in 1958 scoring in a 4-0 English victory with Tommy Finney, but there again its uncertain if the impression had been met with the same reception as with Argentina’s number 10. And then there was Stanley Matthews but information is scarce and difficult to properly assess. Johan Cruijff never faced the Scottish at Hampden Park...



https://europebetweeneastandwest.wordpress.com/tag/ferenc-puskas/





http://troonfootballclub.co.uk/pele-at-portland-park/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-eusebio-footballer-1548784?amp



As for Maradona’s final review in Europe, El Gráfico wrote:
“He already has the diploma of crack. He passed the most difficult exam and with high grades. Now all his work needs to concentrate in knowing how to preserve the high platform that was achieved. Perhaps it is the most difficult task. It depends on him, from this moment on, that in the future it will be said: “That is the next Maradona from another country...” or “That is the new Maradona...”, as is said today with Pelé. And with this his lifestyle is more important than his qualities as a footballer”



Maradona had been the best overall rated player from Argentina in the 4 matches with an exceptional final average (8,75). He had passed the European test and now he had several objectives in his sight: the domestic campaign and especially the FIFA Youth World Cup.

 

Friendly

06/06/1979 New York Cosmos 0-1 Argentina

Stadium: Giants Field, New Jersey

Spectators: 70,134





https://www.nasljerseys.com/images/2020/Cosmos 1979-06-06 Argentina.jpg

https://www.nycosmos.com/news/2020/11/26/cosmos-recall-the-other-10

El Gráfico headlined: “They arrived as they had departed: as world champions”

It had been a successful tour in Europe which culminated in North America. The matchup was supposed to be the rematch of Franz Beckenbauer vs Maradona (they faced eachother in 1978) but the German missed out through injury. For the hosts, Carlos Alberto and Chinaglia, to name a few would still be present. But the biggest obstacle for Argentina was not the opponent itself but the artificial synthetic turf, which made it difficult to control and dribble around. The Argentinian players were not used to that type of condition, which drew criticism from Menotti and his boys.

El Gráfico decided not to grade players because the pitch was artificial, rendering it impossible to draw any legitimate conclusions.




Goles



Once Argentina returned home, the people turned out to greet them with gratitude for their honorable services abroad. But a dilemma lay ahead: what was Menotti’s priority ? The next tour of the senior NT for the month of September or the Youth World Cup in the same month ? And was Maradona more important for the senior NT or the youth NT squad at that moment ? The answer would be the Youth World Cup in Japan. It would be given top priority over the senior Copa America tournament, which was viewed less important with less prestige. The Argentinian flag had to be honorably represented worldwide, and with the newly created FIFA Youth World Cup championship, Argentina’s FA wanted Menotti and Maradona to defend the flag abroad with the respect it deserved as the defending senior world champions. Now the FA and the military government wanted to be Junior World Champs outside of their homeland and it had to be done in style!



But back home, prior to Maradona’s conquest of Japan, he still had some games remaining in the local Metropolitan Championship, and against FIFA’s World Stars in a friendly contest with the senior NT as well as several matches against Brazil and Bolivia in the devalued Copa America, before it overlapped and eventually was abandoned for the Youth championship.


Next up, Argentinos Juniors vs Platense, with a multi-magnificent Maradona! Stay tuned...

 

Metropolitan Championship 1979

Round 13

10/06/1979 Argentinos Juniors 5-1 Platense

Stadium: Ferro Carril Oeste (AJ were local)

Field condition: Good

Goles
“The enormous difference of goals was reflected in the course of the match. Clear superiority of Argentinos Juniors in all their lines, on top of that “the theft” of the significance of having Maradona (...) Platense entered the game “thinking” about Maradona with the defensive marking of Piscerni and externalized their impotence to avoid a massacre. Diego, at half the machine, was “the player” of the match with the seal of two golazos, plus his pairing up with Saggioratto”

Goles rated Diego with an excellent performance of a 9 and the man of the match.








This second goal drew similarities with a famous one scored against Real Madrid in the Bernabéu in 1983, which drew a round of applause from the home fans.




El Gráfico
“Things didn’t start bright, but after 14 minutes Maradona set up a play, free kick from Carrizo and headed goal from Viscovich — and all changed. Maradona shined three minutes later with a luxurious chipped goal and from then on the game changed its course. Meanwhile Platense confused with an elementary tactical mistake (Picerni shadowed Maradona all over the pitch and Diego tied him down with Belloni all match long). Saggioratto and Garcia worked with criteria and effectiveness in the midfield, and the scoring grew with the gravitation of a visible superiority. The plays of Maradona deserved to be witnessed by more people. His goals, too”

El Gráfico graded him with the spectacular performance of a 10 and the man of the match.



La Nación headlined: “Argentinos, efficient”

Diego had been the main protagonist, involved in the build up to the opening goal, scoring the second of the match from a left wing free kick, then rounding several defenders for the third goal. He also set up Saggioratto for his side’s fourth goal. As La Nación put it: “Maradona once again was almost exclusively the star of the match” [...]



Diego said: “I played up front as a number nine and played well, dragging markers with me and taking advantage of open spaces. Everything went well, I scored two goals, but there’s always one that does not go in. At the end of the first half they stopped one on the line... But we still won without any discussion. The whole team played well. The 5-1 result is very important. My right leg hurts, but I will have time to recover” [...]





Summary: 2 goals (1 free kick), 1 assist

 

The next game was a friendly between Argentinos Juniors against Gimnasia of Mendoza, which turned out to be a decisive blow to Argentinos because Diego would get sent off. The consequences were severe because he would controversially receive a ban of 7 matches which ruled him out of contention for the playoffs if Argentinos Juniors were to qualify in the local championship. This decision by the Argentinian FA sparked an outcry by the club of Argentinos, who threatened to take the ruling to court. And all of this over a friendly contest, which turned into a charade. More on that later...

 

Correction: It was initially 7 games but then reduced to 6. It was of course a very controversial decision from the Argentinian federation. Would a star player in today’s football receive a ban like this in a friendly encounter ? In any event, it was a decision that jeopardized the club and their aspirations at a podium finish.

 

Friendly

14/06/1979 Gimnasia y Esgrima (Mendoza) 3-1 Argentinos Juniors

Stadium: Provincial, Mendoza



The last time Diego visited this stadium was with the senior NT in a friendly against the local side, which saw him score his first senior unofficial goal for the Albiceleste (link above). That night Diego had been applauded by the local fans, but this time the reception had been mixed after he was sardonically sent off.

Argentinos Juniors was becoming a globetrotting team with the club cashing in on every exhibition match which featured Diego. But what was supposed to be a friendly turned into charade that would potentially affect the outcome of the domestic championship. Diego would be sent off for allegedly insulting the official and receive a 6 match ban from the Argentinian FA. These banned matches would include friendlies. However, pending investigation Diego still could play the remaining few games or so which included some friendlies and three league matches. But inevitably he was struck down with the severe sanction and the club unfortunately would suffer the consequences in a decisive contest against Velez Sarsfield.





In the match itself, the local newspaper of Los Andes, wrote: “Gimnasia beat the Argentinos Juniors of Diego Maradona 3-1 with all justice, playing a good first half, interchangeable in all their lines, showing a superiority over the dorados Bichos team.”

[...] “Without a doubt the few spectators that went to the stadium had the hope of seeing the new star of Argentinian football. Unfortunately, Maradona “missed out” and everyone retired with sadness. He only showcased glimpses of his unequal talents, when he set up the first goal for Moreno and thereafter two long balls placed on the money as if “struck with his hand” for Favret and Moreno, who both missed due to their limitations. (...) The assist and these two plays were the only things we could appreciate from this talented midfield player of the NT.” [...]

In fact two Argentinos Juniors players had been sent off, Diego and Rios. It all started because Diego protested the home team’s second goal for what appeared offside. Later he complained that he had been fouled inside the box but the official turned a blind eye. Diego had been accused of insulting the referee and sarcastically shaked his hand after he was shown the red card. Upon Diego’s departure, the fans started to insult the official, who later declared that Diego was an “uneducated man”, who insulted him using derogatory remarks like, “Let’s see if you arbitrate well Mendocino...” (This in reference to insulting a provincial citizen, where certain racist or discriminatory remarks had been known to exist from citizens from the Capital of Buenos Aires towards non-capital residents). “He insulted me, he mocked me, he yelled, saying : ‘Go get paid 30 pesos while I get paid 3.000 a month’... I sent him off for that and would do it again”. However, Maradona denied any wrongdoing, saying: “The ref jeopardized us all game. I was fouled in the box. I protested, without offending him at all (...) The only thing I did was applaud him. He showed me the red card and I left without saying a word.”

Whichever the case, arbitrarily the Argentinian FA sided with the declaration of the official, potentially jeopardizing the club’s chances in the domestic campaign. The club would fight heroically in the final league matches without Diego but would then capitulate in a playoff match vs Velez Sarsfield. And all over an inconsequential match, with the arbitrary decision based on what the official had testified.

Summary: 1 assist

El Gráfico




https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.se...he-day-maradona-was-expelled-from-mendoza/amp

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.di...itro-mendoza-que-expulso-maradona-n749417/amp

 

Metropolitan Championship 1979

Round 14

17/06/1979 Newell’s Old Boys 1-1 Argentinos Juniors

Stadium: Newell’s Old Boys, Rosario

Field condition: Poor

With the pending investigation still going on for Diego’s red card in a friendly game which resulted eventually in the absurd 6 match ban, Argentinos visited Newell’s, one of the stronger sides in the group.

La Nación headlined: “Speculative game in Rosario”



El Gráfico
[...] “Neither Newell’s nor Argentinos focused their minds on the opposite goal. Only Maradona — although without the necessary continuity — complied qualitatively and created the most entertaining and effective plays in favor of the spectacle.” [...]

Diego had given his team the lead from the penalty spot after being brought down inside the box in the 51st minute. But Alfaro leveled 9 minutes later. It was a discrete match with a capacity crowd where many went to see Diego, who showcased his “class”, as captioned below:




El Gráfico rated Maradona with a good performance with a 7.



Summary: 1 goal (PK)

 

According to his teammates, the referee was frequently insulting the Argentinos Juniors players and telling Diego “get up you clown”. Other voices said that the visiting players were insulted by being called “Porteños”, this in reference to residents of the capital of Buenos Aires. The official was local from the province of Mendoza and did not belong to the AFA (Argentina Football Association) and allegedly had antipathy towards clubs from the capital of the country. He only officiated in the regional Mendoza league and dubiously was chosen to officiate this friendly against a club that belonged to AFA.

Another suspicious situation was that the Argentinian FA president of the tribunal disciplinary board, Domingo Tabares, arbitrarily sided with the official’s statements and showed no mercy for Diego handing him the 6 match ban. This president was also a fan of Racing and that club was still competing in the group of Argentinos Juniors for a top two spot in the Metropolitan Championship. River Plate was also the AFA’s team and they too were in the same group with AJ.

Another point was that it was a game not properly registered, nor administered well, where Argentinos Juniors argued that they wanted an official from AFA but for bureaucratic reasons it was not granted. Therefore, it should have been voided, which would have rendered any sanctions against Diego to go unpunished. And apparently the visiting side did not sign any agreement but the game was still played. Próspero Consoli, Argentinos Juniors club president, later said that he would never again allow a none-AFA referee to officiate any friendly match involving his club.

Whichever the case, Argentinos Juniors were severely handicapped for the rest of the domestic campaign without its talisman available. Maradona’s representative, Jorge Cyterszpiler, later would say that it was all a “maneuver” — a clear reference that the top brass officials wanted Argentinos Juniors to fail in the Metropolitan Championship. An accusation which proved to come true as the team failed in the playoff match vs Velez Sarsfield.

 

Friendly

20/06/1979 Costa Brava 2-4 Argentinos Juniors

Stadium: General Pico — La Pampa, Argentina






Still pending investigation, Diego’s next match was played in Argentina’s Pampas area against the regional but amateur champions of Costa Brava. The match has a lot of anecdotal information and recently much has been remembered since he passed away. Diego scored two goals and played roughly 67 minutes before being replaced by teammate Rios.



Official: Claudio Busca de la AFA

Líneas: Jorge López y Raúl Berón, de la Agrupación Argentina de Arbitros

COSTA BRAVA: Hector Castro (Gustavo Robilotta); Jose Luis Parramón (Guillermo Moreno); José Saenz (Rubén Retegui), Carlos Brizio y Miguel Angel Moreno (Nicolás Bazán); Emiliano Acosta; Carlos Negrotto y Pablo Ramírez (Luis Ruiz Díaz); Miguel Herrera (Miguel Angel Paolucci); Juan Carlos Rodriguez; Fransisco Mereles. D.T: Juan Carlos Martín.

ARGENTINOS JUNIORS: C. Munutti (L.Candia); C. Carrizo, R. Pwllerano (R.D’angelo);C. Chiachio y A. Caravelli; D. García, J.P.Gauna y Diego Armando Maradona (O. Ríos); H. Arrieta; R. Moreno y H Saggioratto. DT Fransisco Russo.

First half: Argentinos Juniors 2 a 0. Goles 3′ y 45′ Diego Maradona.

Second half: 17′ Pablo Ramírez; 22′ R. Moreno; 23′ D. García y 41′ Juan Carlos “Pescado” Rodriguez.

Summary: 2 goals, 1 assist

https://www.eldiariodelapampa.com.ar/deportes/7601-un-obrero-humilde-en-general-pico

A look back at that match through the newspaper of La Pampa.

On a holiday in June 1979, Argentinos Juniors defeated Costa Brava 4-2. Diego's story in La Pampa.

"Anyone who imagined that Maradona would ‘destroy’ rivals spectacularly may not see everything they wanted,” so begins José Higinio Álvarez's journalistic chronicle where he immortalizes the day that Diego Maradona played in La Pampa and scored two goals.

It was the holiday of Wednesday June 20, 1979, three months before the title of the youth world champion in Japan with the Argentine U-20 team by the hand of César Luis Menotti.

That afternoon at the Costero Stadium, Argentinos Juniors defeated Costa Brava 4-2 with two goals from 10. The only ones they scored in the province.

The arrival of the La Paternal team to La Pampa was a novelty and the reception was up to the task. "That game is one of the best memories of Costa Brava and the city of General Pico," recalls Pablo Ramírez, author of one of the goals of the Piquense team. "In the afternoon they opened the club during the previous week and it was full, there was a queue to get tickets," he stressed.

“Already 20 days before when the idea of bringing him was discussed, it was a rage. 40 years ago there was not so much movement between Buenos Aires and General Pico. The city was small ”, he pointed out in dialogue with El Araucanito.

When he was asked about how the link had been for the arrival of Argentinos to the city, he recalled: “There was a man who sold shirts to the club and had a lot of relationship with Argentinos Juniors. I think that Maradona was a separate arrangement because bringing him was another price. I remember that he did not come with the delegation, he arrived by plane to Santa Rosa and from there they brought him by car ”.

"Whoever imagined that Maradona would ‘destroy’ rivals spectacularly may not see everything they wanted. Because Maradona starts his game and ends it with commendable simplicity. He is not an egocentric who wants to show off his showy ability, but the humble worker who uses his quality without showing off, because quality does not need to promote itself, it is seen in the simple, as greatness is observed in any face of life. And Maradona shows greatness in his own way, in the small and big world of football. ”That genius served to paint the star who died yesterday at the age of 60 from head to toe.

The match favored Argentinos Juniors who in just four minutes was already up on the scoreboard. “From the dressing room he scored two goals for us, then we settled down, I'm not telling you that we played a game but we put in a little more grit. At one point we matched him, we were all players from the area, there was a lot of difference physically, "recalled Pablo Ramírez, author of the 1-2 set.

The journalistic chronicle thus described Diego's participation in the beginning of the friendly: “From the outset he goes out to mark who has the ball, to run it. To be good you don't have to make an effort to show it. The moment appears alone. And at four minutes Maradona receives close to the red-and-white area and with a half dribble and a turn, dislodges two opponents and lodges the ball in a corner: 1-0. Applause".

Diego himself scored the second goal before the end of the first half. In the complement, Pablo Ramírez discounted for Costa. Moreno and García put the partial 4 to 1 and finally Rodríguez established the final 4 to 2.

http://pampadiario.com/single-post.php?id=32504

"I want everyone to know that we are going to play a serious game against Costa Brava."

It was June 1979, and the "superpibe" was preparing with Argentinos Juniors to disembark in General Pico. The East neighborhood team was going to be the rival that would face the team that was second in the Metropolitan, and that had among its ranks who months later would become the youth world champion in Japan.

And the newspaper La Reforma, in total exclusivity, managed to speak with Diego Armando Maradona, the 10th, the Pelusa, with the crack that would give the Argentines the most joy when it comes to football.

"I don't know General Pico, but I have heard a lot about La Pampa," Diego emphasized in the interview, the same one that had just finished the "bichos" training; a few hours before he arrived at General Pico. "Now I am going to be lucky enough to know all that which must surely be very nice," he added.

In a truly exciting find, we were able to obtain a copy of that edition of the newspaper La Reforma. 40 years after that undoubtedly historical fact for the sport of La Pampa, its pages still retain that magic that only paper can transmit. Pure history.

Returning to the interview, Diego answered about his desire to play ball in Pico. "I tell you, and I'm not lying to you, that I always want to play football. It's my thing," said who a few years later would become the best player in the history of this sport.

Asked about the desire he had put into that training prior to the trip to this province, where, according to the Journalist, he did it as in the pasture, the native of Villa Fiorito accepted that appreciation adding that "in that place I learned to play."

"I want everyone to know that we are going to play a serious game against Costa Brava," challenged Maradona and we imagine that here the coastal players, with the newspaper in hand, will have felt an unequaled motivation for the match that was coming their way.

Maradona also responded about the fame that already surrounded him and everything that was said about him. However, when asked if he felt like "a star", he was blunt: "No, no way."

Costa Brava received the Argentine Juniors Athletic Association on June 20, 1979. The Diego Mainz stadium dressed up to receive the team that brought the star, or as many pointed out "the white Pele." Referents of politics and the general public were filling the stands, nobody wanted to miss that party.

The game happened, it was a party and ended in a 4-2 victory for La Paternal. Diego Armando would score two goals during his visit to General Pico, a place that he did not know but that from what we can imagine ended up enjoying his stay.

http://www.planbnoticias.com.ar/ind...pa-quedamos-maravillados-con-sus-habilidades/



One of the players who faced him was Rubén Retegui who played as a defender in Costa: "It was an entertaining game, logically they had all the superiority since Argentinos were one of the best teams in Argentina and they had Diego."

Regarding Maradona, he indicated that: "we were amazed at Diego's abilities and that at that time it was not all the famous and important that he did"

He indicated that before the game began, he took the opportunity to take a photo with Maradona: "it is a beautiful memory I have, the Costa player Guillermo Moreno also appears in the photo."

Regarding the best player in the world, he expressed that "for me he was really a God of football, a guy who generated a lot of happiness and generated a worldwide expectation that very few do," said Retegui.

The stadium was full and there were fans, leaders and provincial authorities: “it was a party on and off the field. I remember there were many people, even my wife was with my newborn son who was not even a month old ”.

As Plan B and Sports Mode learned, Diego left the campus from Once by train to Santa Rosa, where he later took a bus.

Regarding Costa Brava, he recalled that in that year: “for us it was the first steps that were made in the Pampean League of playing abroad, before the structure of Argentine football was different and that year we began to play regionals for Costa Brava facing teams very strong and we did well. But playing with Diego marked us our whole lives, ”Retegui concluded.

https://www.lareforma.com.ar/maradona/mirando-atras-y-al-comprobar-el-dia-que-jugo-pico-n64997

When he found a ball he turned into a bird. Flying like a seagull. It went from bare fields to imposing stadiums, from lost towns to exotic cities, from common languages to unintelligible languages. Always your name. To talk about that left-hander who was born in Villa Fiorito, to be amazed by the millions of dollars that the brush of his art caused, to move with that magnificent work before the English and for that Cup that from Mexico raised the world.

I can still remember today that overflowing impatience waiting at the side of 9th Street for the passing of the bus that brought the Argentinos Juniors campus on that cold morning in June 1979. With my child's eyes trying to find his face through the glass of any window. It could not be. Diego Maradona was sleeping peacefully when the "Bichos" from La Paternal entered General Pico, away from the popular fervor generated by his visit. I also thought I saw him showing a complicit wink, and with the innocence of my nine years, I told him a thousand times in the neighborhood friends' round.

Looking back and checking. That afternoon of Wednesday, June 20, a crowd marched in procession towards the “Diego Maínz”, a stronghold of Costa Brava. People crowding around and trying to get the best place. The income of the two teams. Diego's two goals. Its magic. The goal of Pablo Ramírez getting with the ball and everything within the goal. Shock. Joy. Everything that Maradona's visit acquired and meant. "Diego was there and I was a witness ...", many can say today, with pride and inflated chest. The inspired, aesthetic, unpredictable game, the magic of "Fluff", had its only time here 41 years ago.

A few days earlier, on June 2, Maradona had scored his first National Team goal in Glasgow for a 3-1 win over Scotland. In September of that year, he would shine in Japan, to become a youth world champion. When that visit took place in 1979, Argentinos were second in the Argentine tournament, two points behind River. Costa, the host team for that game, was the last champion that the Pampean League had. From the beginning it was exposed that it was a friendly. As it was, he left interesting passages. And of course, the presence of Diego.

The 11 of the albirrojo, directed by “Juanca” Martín, were Héctor Castro; José Parramón, José Sáenz, Carlos Brizio, Miguel Moreno, Emiliano Acosta, Carlos Negrotto, Pablo Ramírez, Miguel Herrera, Juan Carlos Rodríguez and Francisco Mereles; then Gustavo Robilotta, Guillermo Moreno, Rubén Retegui, “Chango” Bazán, Luis Ruiz Díaz and Miguel Bertone entered. Argentinos, led by Francisco Russo, had Carlos Munutti from the beginning; Carlos Carrizo, Ricardo Pellerano, Carlos Chiachio, Abelardo Caravelli, Daniel García, Jorge Gauna, Maradona, Héctor Arrieta, Rafael Moreno and Hugo Saggioratto. The substitutes who entered were D’Angelo, Ríos (entered through Diego), Juárez and Oscar Candia, who would soon disembark at Eduardo Castex to play for Racing, and would stay here for decades, leaving his mark.

It was only three minutes when Maradona received the ball in the area, with Castro coming out and Brizio looking to cross. He faked the shot to the right of the goalkeeper, who turned towards that sector, hooked towards the middle and despite the last effort from the side and Moreno's leg, he placed the ball inside the goal with category. Diego was, naturally, the epicenter of all eyes. On the epilogue of that first stage, he put the signature with his distinctive stamp: he left Sáenz behind and face to face with Castro, he chose the corner to define with his prodigious left-handedness.

In addition, Costa managed to discount, and to be in tune with the visit, Pablo Ramírez was dispatched with a goal after a remarkable stack, including Munutti. Diego's reply was immediate. Five minutes later, at minute 67, he piled up the albirroja defense on the right and enabled Moreno, who shot Castro. “Tabita” García, with a superb shot, made the fourth, prior to the departure of Maradona, who left the field to a standing ovation. Shortly before the end, Costa achieved the second through “Pescado” Rodríguez after a combination with “Cucharita” Paolucci.

Looking back and checking. “Maradona's poetic football”, as the Brazilian journalist Armando Nogueira wrote, was a source of inspiration. A chemically pure soccer generating plant. An example of conviction and spiritual guidance for all his companions. Being the most brilliant, he was invariably at the service of the group, in the National Team or in the clubs where he performed. He did not use the generous perspiration of his comrades to his advantage. Each and every one of them enjoyed the admirable altruism with which Diego gave his genius in favor of the team. That is also why he was the greatest of all.

http://www.lamarcadelincoln.com.ar/...ue-hipolito-mario-castro-enfrento-a-d10s/9991

http://www.laarena.com.ar/la_pampa-ya-era-un-fuera-de-serie-2145221-163.html

Summary: 2 goals, 1 assist

 

Metropolitan Championship 1979

Round 15

23/06/1979 Argentinos Juniors 3-2 Huracán

Stadium: Ferro Carril Oeste (AJ were local)

Field condition: Good



Diego’s penultimate domestic league match before the disciplinary tribunal courts handed him down a 6 match ban, saw him take on a struggling Huracán side, but which had NT players like René Houseman and former NT captain Carrascosa, as well as one of the idols of the club, Carlos Babington. The performance of Maradona turned out to be of the highest order with three individually taken goals (his third one spectacularly chipping the goalkeeper from outside) but it was also evident for a long time now that the general view was that without Diego available, Argentinos Juniors were a relegation calibre side and that he was winning games almost all by himself.

El Gráfico
“With moments of darkness, compensated by the golazos of Maradona — especially the third one — (...) Argentinos won the game because their goalkeeper responded well, because their midfield and defense battled without concessions, but above all because they have a player that is a genius, capable, it’s worth the expression, in winning a game all on his own”

El Gráfico rated Diego with the spectacular grade of a 10 and the man of the match. But clearly the rest of the offensive frontline continued to struggle and it would need to step up in order for the team to have a chance at qualifying to the knockout stages.



Summary: 3 goals (2 from free kicks)

Next up a date with the NT vs FIFA’s All Stars.

 

Yes, mate. All goals were recorded and are in the video attached to the report.