Unforgettable Soccer. Luciano Wernicke

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      Soccer and radio maintain a powerful and almost centennial romance. So deeply rooted are the games’ transmissions that many fans turn down the volume on their television and turn up the volume their radios to follow the images on the screen with the narration of their favorite play-by-play radio announcer. Others go to the stadium with their headphones on to hear someone describe what they are watching. But nothing is as unusual as a soccer player following the circumstances of a game on the radio…while he’s playing!

      On October 11, 1992, at La Bombonera, CA Boca Juniors (who hadn’t won an Argentine championship for eleven years) received their bitter “superclásico” rival, CA River Plate. The xeneize squad was at the top of the standings with 14 points, followed closely by its biggest enemy with 13. At 65 minutes, Boca was up 1-0 thanks to a goal from Uruguayan Sergio Martinez. Then, referee Juan Carlos Lousteau called a foul; one of the well-known “divers,” millionaire Ariel Ortega, master of the art of falling down, was sandwiched between defenders, Carlos MacAllister and Alejandro Giuntini from the host team. A Boca supporter, enraged by the referee’s decision, threw his small yellow radio at the rival goalkeeper, Ángel Comizzo. The device fell within three feet of the goalie, who had the smart idea of taking it, putting on the headphones, and following the call of the radio announcers to hear Hernán Díaz’s shot from twelve yards, with his back to the play and in front of the opposing fans. But the powerful crossed shot of Diaz was rejected by the hands of the Boca number “1,” Carlos Navarro Montoya, and Comizzo, enraged, plucked the small speakers from his ears and threw the fateful apparatus toward the wire fence. The match finished without further displays of emotion, and Boca maintained the 1-0 advantage. At the end of that Sunday, the club from the port extended its advantage over River by three points, which allowed them to win the championship a few weeks later and leave their historic adversary empty handed.