A phrase that is used a lot in Argentine football in the preview of the classics, both by its protagonists and its fans, is that they are “parties apart”. This usually decompresses in case one of the clubs does not arrive in good condition or even when both are not going through their best moment.
These types of matches are usually even, due to the pressure they entail, but It has been 19 years since Estudiantes broke this rule. Without any mercy, he scored seven goals against Gimnasia in the city stadium, a duel that to this day brings its particularities.
The biggest win in the La Plata football classic: Estudiantes 7 – Gimnasia 0
That Sunday, October 15, will remain in the memory of all Argentine football, but especially in the minds of Pincha fans. It was the first time that León was home at the Estadio Único and those led by Diego Simeone knew that, on the other side, there was their lifelong rival who did not come with bad campaigns.
El Lobo had fought with Boca the previous tournament, although this time it was Estudiantes who sought to take the title from the blue and gold team, which was the leader of the competition. But that was not what was at stake, it was the honor of one of the spiciest matches in the entire country.
It took just four minutes for Pincha to take the lead on the scoreboard, since Diego Galván scored the first. At 24 minutes, José Calderón made it 2-0 and the weather predicted a dance between those in red and white. The first half would end 3 to 0 thanks to a goal from Mariano Pavone.
But all Argentine football witnessed a second half that, in football terms, was a massacre. Galván scored again, Germán Basualdo was expelled from Gimnasia and from then on, everything was Pincha’s. Already with nine players, another red card for Matías Escobarthere was no mercy.
At 73, Calderón made it 5-0, four minutes later Pablo Lugüercio scored the sixth and Caldera closed a magical afternoon with his hat trick and made it 7-0 in the 85th. The match was suspended due to incidents, Héctor Baldassi resumed and before it reached 90 minutes, he declared the end of an unforgettable day for Argentine football.
The unusual request of the Gimnasia players
The classic left consequences that continue to mark the folklore of Argentine football to this day. Being the classic of an entire city, it is experienced in a particular way. From charges that have ended badly from both the players and the fans themselves to revelations from that afternoon that become known over the years.
Diego Galván was one of the great protagonists of that historic afternoon, and not long ago he confessed something that the Gimnasia players asked of the Estudiantes players: “They asked us not to score more goals and to slow down the pace.”
Of course, the former River stressed that “The good thing was that we maintained the intensity throughout the game”. And it was no wonder, since the duel ended prematurely to prevent the violence from escalating, although the consequences have remained permanently in said classic.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
