An unusual event marked the closing of the match between Godoy Cruz and Vélez on Friday, for the eleventh round of the Argentine Professional League in Mendoza. Alexander Medina, better known as 'Cacique', remembered his days as a footballer and committed a foul against a player from 'Tomba'. The unusual infraction cost him his expulsion and has gone viral on social media.
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Just as the match began, Pier Barrios (3) took advantage of a glaring blooper by goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos, who let the ball slip, to score the 1-0 for the Mendocino Tomba, but shortly after Diego Godín (14) secured the definitive equalizer with a precise header to the right angle.
The anecdotal moment occurred at the 83rd minute, when the Uruguayan coach of Vélez was expelled for tripping midfielder Matías Ramírez, who was battling for the ball with a Vélez player on the sideline. The Uruguayan coach stopped the run of the Godoy Cruz player with a tackle that cost him a red card. As expected, it quickly became a trending topic.
“I was jostling with Guidara and he happened to slip and went off the field. I was nearby and instinctively tripped him, but the expulsion was well deserved. We feel football in a very special way. Despite having stopped playing football years ago, we never lose that feeling of being a footballer, we feel like them in every situation. It was an isolated play and it's not something that happens every day,” argued 'Cacique'.
The draw favored Vélez who is hovering near the bottom of the table but is looking to improve their image in the upcoming match against Talleres de Córdoba next Wednesday, in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals.
“We want to win, but we're struggling in the tournament. The best way to prepare for a match like the next one is to give our all, and that's what the team did. I'm gradually feeling better, recovering from tendinitis, getting into rhythm,” highlighted Godín, captain of the Uruguayan national team and the standout player of the night in Mendoza (west).
On the other hand, Godoy Cruz (18) earned a point that was not enough, as they couldn't get closer to the leader Atlético Tucumán (22), and they also couldn't achieve a victory that would have alleviated them a bit in the relegation standings, where they currently occupy the 24th position out of 28 teams.