Rosario, Argentina, is a city where some of football’s most brilliant minds were produced. Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, Maxi Rodriguez, Ezequiel Garay, Mauro Icardi, and Gerardo Martino were all manufactured in the Argentinian municipality some 300 kilometres up the Parana River from Buenos Aires, suggesting that perhaps there’s something in the stream of water that warrants a federal investigation.
A rich history in football also defines Rosario. After Argentina’s national team suffered a 1-0 defeat to Italy on home soil in the 1978 World Cup’s group stage, La Albiceleste was forced to abandon its base in Buenos Aires, and move north to the port city for three fixtures in the second round.
That change of scenery is often cited as a pivotal moment in Argentina winning its first-ever World Cup title, as the team picked up momentum upon taking the pitch at the tighter, more compact Estadio Gigante de Arroyito – which translates to “Giant of the Little Stream Stadium.” It’s a ground where there is almost no distance between the supporters and the players, and is widely regarded as one of the most intimidating venues in South American football.
Yet, despite Rosario’s production line of players, and its wealthy football history, Rosario Central, one of the city’s two biggest clubs, hasn’t had very much to cheer about in recent years. Not since 1986-87 has El Canalla won a Primera Division title; the team was relegated to the Primera B Nacional in 2010, the ultimate humiliation for a club of any significance in Argentina.
Times are changing at Rosario Central, however. Now back in the Primera Division, Rosario finished third last season, resulting in El Canalla earning a ticket to the Copa Libertadores after a 10-year absence from South America’s most prestigious club competition.
Last Thursday, Rosario kicked off its 2016 Copa Libertadores adventure with a bang, playing out a 1-1 draw against Uruguayan club Nacional in front of 40,000 supporters who welcomed their heroes with a flag that covered one of the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito’s widths.
Así recibieron a Rosario Central. #LibertadoresEnFD pic.twitter.com/ioVbRdDJ1n
— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) February 25, 2016
Eduardo Coudet, Rosario Central’s manager, oddly left Giovani Lo Celso and Marcelo Larrondo out of his starting XI. Lo Celso is a 19-year-old playmaker who is reportedly drawing interest from AS Roma and Manchester City, while Larrondo is the club’s most dangerous attacker. Marco Ruben, who Tim Vickery of World Soccer describes as “the best centre forward in Argentina,” was also out injured.
Nacional’s Nico Lopez opened the scoring in the 55th minute, which didn’t come as that much of a surprise to many observers, and Coudet immediately inserted Larrondo into the game in place of Jonas Aguirre.
The addition of Lo Celso, who took the pitch at the interval, and Larrondo, led to an instant improvement from Rosario Central. Then, in the 91st minute, El Canalla were rewarded for its improved play, as Larrondo rocketed a penalty kick down the middle following a dubious decision from referee Wilmar Roldan.
Whether or not Rosario Central deserved a point is irrelevant to its supporters. They have waited a decade to see El Canalla return to the Copa Libertadores, which can feel like an century in football, and a millennium in Argentina.
The question for Rosario Central now becomes whether it can escape from a group that, in addition to Nacional, features the likes of Brazilian side Palmeiras, and another Uruguayan club in River Plate. El Canalla will certainly be hoping that an inability to tally three points in their return to the Copa Libertadores doesn’t come back to haunt them.
As Rosario Central continues its journey in the Copa Libertadores, perhaps the club and its supporters can draw inspiration from the words of Rosario native Ernesto “Che” Guevara, who famously said: “Hasta la victoria siempre.”
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