Everybody knows the story about the ’Hand of God’, Diego Armando Maradona’s goal in the Argentina vs England quarter finals match of the 1986 FIFA World Cup. Argentina won 2-1 and eventually became the world champion. But without another hero, there would be no Argentina in the World Cup in the first place, there would be no, ’Hand of God’, and there would be no World Cup title. And that hero destroyed another team’s World Cup dreams that year, only to come back and bring them joy 32 years later…and he is about to do that again tonight.¡El multiverso “Gareca” es real! 😳🇵🇪💯#LatinaDeportes #Selecciónperuana #Gareca pic.twitter.com/7t4GnNQtzf— Latina Deportes (@LatinaDeportes) June 2, 2022 The year was 1985 and the month was June. Ricardo Gareca was an Argentinian national team forward, born and bread at ’La Bombonera’, Boca Juniors home stadium and he just committed the ’ultimate sin’: he signed for their hated rivals River Plate. But his worst day was yet to come. The Argentinians played a World Cup qualifier against Peru, and prior to that, they didn’t shine. In fact, they were in a difficult situation and needed a win or a draw in the last game, at home to Peru. Easier said than done. Until Gareca came in, nor Maradona, nor Daniel Passarella, Jorge Valdano or Jorge Burruchaga could score an equalizer, since the home team was trailing 1-2 at Monumental. But then Ricardo used an opportunity after Peru keeper missed the ball and scored from the goal line for 2-2 and the World Cup. Peruvians are still saying, 37 years later, that the goal was scored after he fouled Peru’s defender, but the referee didn’t think so and that was it – Argentina was in, Peru was out of the World Cup.Argentina managed to consolidate themselves the following weeks and ended up winning the World Champion title, but without Ricardo Gareca. He was not on the final list ahead of the tournament and he finished his international career with a goal which destroyed Peruvians dreams. He moved quickly from River Plate and went to Columbia, before finishing his playing days in Independiente in 1994 and immediately became a coach. There is the famous story when Maradona saw a tearful Gareca on the streets of Buenos Aires and decided to join him on his pub craw before seeing an expensive watch in one shop. He came in, bought it, and put it on Gareca’s hand, thanking him for that goal against Peru, which ultimately made Maradona a football God. Off course, the truth is a bit boring, he got the watch but months earlier, as he was still in the Argentina squad, and it was for his birthday. The watch was stolen not long afterwards, and the thieves probably didn’t knew who bought it to Gareca.(3.90) AUSTRALIA (3.05) PERU (2.19)After decades mostly in Argentina’s club football, now coach Gareca decided to do something similar to switching Boca with River Plate – he took over the national selection of Peru in 2015. Still seen as the ultimate villain, he became a coach of a country which was unsuccessfully trying to get to the World Cup since 1985, when Gareca eliminated them with a late equalizer. A first question to the new coach? „Admit it, was it a faul in 1985?’ to which Gareca replied ’You know guys, it was a long time ago’. His road as Peru manager was a bumpy one, as the public was against him, and the results were not great. In fact, he was close to sacking in 2018, after a 0–2 away loss to minnows Bolivia, but everything turned around after the game was registered 3-0 for Peru, due to ineligible player in Bolivia’s team, and eventually, their Argentinian ’enemy’ guided them to their first World Cup since 1982.Shamans back #Peru ahead of #WorldCup playoff against AustraliaThe shaman, dressed in multicolored Andean ponchos and cloaks, performed the ceremony on a hillside in #Lima around a portrait of the Peru team. pic.twitter.com/dSQH57GM9L— Hans Solo (@thandojo) June 12, 2022 And Gareca can do it again, for the second time in a row, if he motivates his players to get the result in tonight’s game against Australia. Everything will happen in 90 minutes. One game decides everything. Australia and Peru will be looking for a ticket to the World Cup at Al Ryan Stadium. The Australians were participants in each of the previous four World Cups. The Peruvians have qualified for only one in the last 40 years, in 2018, when they were in the group with today’s rival. Peru celebrated 2:0 back then and there is no doubt that the Kangaroos will want revenge on them. At the top of a sacred hill in Lima, twelve shamans place coca leaves in a ceramic pot over a bonfire and perform a ritual to neutralize the Australian players who will face Peru on Monday for a coveted place in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Peru government decreed a holiday for Monday, June 13, so that the population can see the match without problems. But with or without a day off and shamans, Gareca will do everything in his power to become Peru’s savior. Again.
