It happened on Wednesday, March 29, 1967. The Paraguayan youth team lost, in Para Uno, against Argentina, the final of the IV Youth of America tournament. In the crucial match, after the draw (2-2), the title in favor of the Argentines was defined through the chance of a coin.
La Albirroja reached the final, of what would currently be the South American Sub 20, after having beaten the Peruvian team, in the semifinal, 2-1. The Argentines, meanwhile, had defeated Brazil, 2-0.
In the qualifying phase, Paraguay joined group A, beating Venezuela (4-0) and Argentina (3-1) and losing to Colombia, 3-1. Thus, he secured first place with four points, followed by Argentina, with three. While series B was led by Brazil (6 points), followed by Peru (5).
That afternoon-night, in Para Uno, the title of champion escaped the Paraguayan team incredibly. The beginning of the game was nervous and with many infractions and in the first stage the scoring was not opened.
5 minutes into the complementary period, the visitors took the lead and from that moment the Paraguayan reaction began. The tie was at 14′, through a header by Joaquín Yugovich and the second Paraguayan goal came a minute later, at 15′, after an excellent half-turn by Augusto Ramírez.
The white and red dominance continued and at 18 minutes the Peruvian referee, César Orozco, sanctioned a penalty in favor of the locals. Gerardo Laterza, possessor of a powerful shot, was in charge of carrying out the maximum penalty. It seemed that everything was defined in favor of La Albirroja, because another goal at that point in the match would be lapidary.
But it was written that Paraguay would not be champion and Laterza’s shot was stopped by the rival goalkeeper, “Perico” Pérez.
The mood of the red and whites was on the ground and soon, at 22′, equality arrived for the visit, when José Martínez took advantage of a free kick.
In this way, the end of the game was reached and after the 30-minute extension, without changes in the score, the title in favor of Argentina was defined by tossing a coin.
THE SYNTHESIS
Wednesday March 9, 1967.
Stadium: Manuel Ferreira.
Referee: Cesar Orozco
(Peruvian).
Lines: Ramón Barreto (Uruguayan) and Eduardo Rendón (Ecuadorian).
Paraguay: Ruben Melgarejo; Vidal Carvallo, Gerardo Laterza, Ángel Adorno and Néstor García (captain); Julio Mendieta (82′ Adalberto Escobar), Alcibiades Francia and Joaquín Yugovich (73′ Pedro Antonio Cíbils); Gabriel Lezcano, Augusto Ramírez and Carlos Mendiola. DT: Luis Benitez Chilavert.
Argentina: Jose Perez; Jorge Dominichi, José Gómez, Siciliano and Jorge Teijón; José Martínez, Héctor Martínez (67′ Francisco Cibeyra) and Antonio García Ameijenda; Marcos Ricciardi, José Pasternak (78′ Enrique Wolff) and Carlos García Cambón (42′ Miguel Converti). DT: Juan Carlos Jimenez.
Goals: 50′ José Pasternak and 67′ José Martínez, from a free kick (A); 59′ Joaquín Yugovich, with a header and 60′ Augusto Ramírez (P).
Incident: at 63′ Gerardo Laterza (P), executed a penalty that was stopped by goalkeeper Pérez.
THE PARAGUAYAN ROSTER
Archers: Rubén Melgarejo (Rubio Ñu) and Daniel Martínez (Olimpia).
Defenders: Vidal Carvallo and Roberto Montiel (Guaraní), Ángel Adorno (Libertad), Gerardo Laterza (Cerro Porteño) and Néstor García (River Plate).
Midfielders: Alcibiades Francia (Guaraní), Joaquín Yugovich (Libertad), Carlos Lird and Julio Mendieta (Cerro Porteño), Esteban Ramos (Luqueño) and Tomás Rojas (River Plate).
Forwards: Adalberto Escobar, Gabriel Lezcano and Carlos Mendiola (Cerro Porteño), Augusto Ramírez (Olimpia) and Pedro Antonio Cíbils (Libertad).
Coaching staff: Advisor: Miguel Ángel Pangrazio. Coach: Luis Benitez Chilavert.
Physical Trainer: Juan Barreiro. Doctors: Quirno Cuenca Centurión and Jesús Amado Mieres.
