Juan Carlos “Chango” Cárdenas, author of the most important goal in the history of Racing Club, passed away last night at the age of 76.
The Avellaneda entity, through a brief statement, reported the death of the historic former player from Santiago.
“We are very sad. We are sorry to announce the death of Juan Carlos ‘El Chango’ Cárdenas, scorer of the most important goal in our history. Racing Club embraces all his family and friends,” the albiceleste club said.
The emblematic former midfielder scored the winning goal with which the no less iconic ‘José’s Team’ (alluding to those led by Juan José Pizzuti) won the first Intercontinental Cup for an Argentine team, in the 1967 season
It happened on November 4 of that year at the traditional Centenario stadium in Montevideo, when Racing beat Celtic of Scotland 1-0, with that remembered goal from Cárdenas, who took the ball outside the area and drove it violently towards the goal. by John Fallon to hang it at an angle.
With that triumph, the ‘Academy’ achieved its only Intercontinental Cupin a playoff match played in Uruguayan territory, after losing 1-0 in the first leg in Glasgow and winning 2-1 in Avellaneda, in revenge.
Cardenas had Arrived at Racing in 1962, coming from the Union of his native province. He was loaned out for a season to Nueva Chicago, in the old Primera B, and then returned to the Avellaneda institution, where he played his first official match in 1964.
In Racing he remained until 1972, when he emigrated to Mexico to join the Puebla and Veracruz clubs. He returned to the ‘Academy’ to play in the 1976 National Championship and retired as a footballer the following year.
In Avellaneda’s team, the industrious number 10 scored 92 goals in 322 official matches.
As a coach, ‘Chango’ had time in promotion clubs such as All Boys, Deportivo Armenio and General Lamadridwhich he even led in a campaign in which the Villa Devoto team rose to the First C (1984).
