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What ever happened to? Diego Gavilán

Gavilán in Newcastle colours.

In 1999 Newcastle United became the first English side to sign a Paraguayan player by signing 19 year old midfielder Diego Gavilán from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteño for a fee of £2 million after he played in the 1999 Copa América where he was one of the youngest players in the squad after Roque Santa Cruz and Nelson Cuevas..

Newcastle were building a team studded with South American players and by the 2000-01 season Newcastle had Gavilán, Nolberto Solano, Clarence Acuña, and Cristian Bassedas in midfield.

Gavilán made his league debut in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland but he never established himself as a first team player, he only ever started 2 games for Newcastle and made a further 6 appearances as a substitute. He scored his only goal for the club in a 2-0 win against Coventry City in April 2000.

By 2002 it was clear that Gavilán was not part of Newcastle United's long term plans so he was sent out on loan to a succession of clubs. He played for UAG Tecos of Mexico between 2001 and 2002 and while he was there he was picked to play for Paraguay in the 2002 World Cup where he played in all 3 of Paraguay's group games. He spent 2003 with Internacional of Brazil where he won the 2003 Campeonato Gaúcho. In 2004 he returned to Europe to join Italian side Udinese.

When Gavilán's contract with Newcastle expired in 2004 he returned to Internacional of Porto Alegre, Brazil where he was won another Campeonato Gaúcho in 2005 and was part of the squad that finished as runners up in the Brasiliero 2005, although he had already left to join Argentine club Newell's Old Boys by the time the Brasiliero had finished.

Gavilán played 43 times for
the Paraguay national team.

Gavilán enjoyed 2 seasons with Newell's where he played alongside fellow Paraguay internationals Justo Villar, Oscar Cardoso and Santiago Salcedo. During this time he was selected for his 2nd Paraguay World Cup squad but he did not play in any of the games in 2006. He made his 43rd and last appearance for Paraguay in 2007.

After the summer of 2007 he returned to Puerto Alegre in Brazil to play for Grêmio who are the traditional rivals of his former team Internacional. He only stayed with Grêmio for the remainder of 2007. In 2008 he had short stints with two more Brazilian teams Portuguesa and Flamengo where he was part of the squad that won the 2008 Campeonato Carioca, his 3rd Brazilian state championship.

In 2009 he returned to Argentina to play for Avellaneda giants Independiente but he only made 5 league appearances for the club before being released after Américo Gallego took over as manager.

In 2010 he returned to Paraguay to play for Olimpia, the fierce local rivals of his first club Cerro Porteño, it is the second time in his career that he betrayed one of his former clubs by joining their fiercest local rivals and at 30 years of age it seems that he still has a good few years left to make a surprise return to England to play for Sunderland!

See also

Diego Gavilán video - Portuguesa

Diego Gavilán video - Olimpia

Part of the What ever happened to? series.

Copa Sudamericana 2010: Octavos

The last 16 stage of Copa Sudamericana 2010 was completed on Thursday evening with Newell's Old Boys the last team to officially qualify for the quarter finals, although being 6-0 up from the first leg against Bolivian side San José meant that they were pretty much the first team to make it through. The only other remarkable result from the first round was the shock 4-2 win for Chilean side Unión San Felipe against holders LDU Quito. Liga pulled it around in their home leg with a convincing 6-1 win, the last time they failed to win a home tie in Copa Sudamericana was a 1-1 draw against Boca Juniors on 1 October 2008, since then their record is 1-0, 4-0, 2-1, 7-0, 5-1 and 6-1. Newell's and Liga de Quito will face each other in the quarter final.

The pick of the 2nd leg games was Independiente's 4-2 win against Uruguayan side Defensor Sporting Club, which was selected as our game of the week.

There were plenty of other brilliant games. Colombian side Deportes Tolima overturned a 2 goal defecit against Banfield with a 3-0 win, Brazilian side Avai scored 3 goals to win their game against Emelec from 1-3 down on aggregate and Uruguyan side Peñarol were eliminated on away goals after an entertaining 3-2 win against Brazilian side Goiás.

Brazilian sides dominate the quarter final line up with 4 representatives, there are 2 Argentine teams and one each from Colombia and Ecuador.

28-09-10
Defensor Sporting (Uru)	1-0	Independiente (Arg)
19-10-10
Independiente (Arg)	4-2	Defensor Sporting (Uru)
Winner: Independiente

29-09-10
Banfield (Arg)	2-0	Deportes Tolima (Col)
12-10-10
Deportes Tolima (Col)	3-0	Banfield (Arg)
Winner: Deportes Tolima

06-10-10
Newell's Old Boys (Arg)	6-0	San José (Bol)
21-10-10
San José (Bol)	2-0	Newell's Old Boys (Arg)
Winner: Newell's Old Boys

12-10-10
Unión San Felipe (Chi)	4-2	LDU Quito (Ecu)
19-10-10
LDU Quito (Ecu)	6-1	Unión San Felipe (Chi)
Winner: LDU Quito

13-10-10
Goiás (Bra)	1-0	Peñarol (Uru)
20-10-10
Peñarol (Uru)	3-2	Goiás (Bra)
Winner: Goiás (on away goals)

13-10-10
Atlético MG (Bra)	2-0	Independiente Santa Fe (Col)
20-10-10
Independiente Santa Fe (Col)	1-0	Atlético MG (Bra)
Winner: Atlético MG

13-10-10
Emelec (Ecu)	2-1	Avai (Bra)
21-10-10
Avai (Bra)	3-1	Emelec (Ecu)
Winner:Avai

14-10-10
Universitario (Bol)	0-1	Palmeiras (Bra)
20-10-10
Palmeiras (Bra)	3-1	Universitario (Bol)
Winner: Palmeiras

Golazo: Miguel Paniagua Guaraní 4-0 Libertad, Apertura 2009 Paraguay

30 May 2009: In the 17th round of the Paraguayan Apertura 2009 Guaraní defensive midfielder Miguel Paniagua scored this spectacular "chilena" to round off a surprise 4-0 win against title contenders Libertad.

Aftermath

This result was enough to derail Libertad's title challenge, they eventually finished 4 points behind champions Cerro Porteño. Guaraní finished in mid table and Paniagua earned himself a loan move to Argentine giants River Plate, the move was not a success and he returned to Guaraní in 2010.

Part of the Golazo series.

Golazo: Teófilio Cubillas Brazil vs Peru, Copa América 1975

30 September 1975: Brazil hosted Peru in the first leg of the Copa América 1975 semi-final. The score was 1-1 but in the 82nd minute Peru earned a free kick which was curled magnificently into the net by Teofilio Cubillas. Peru went on to score another goal to give them a historic 3-1 win on Brazilian soil and a 2 goal advantage going into their home leg.

Brazil won the 2nd leg 2-0 so the winners were chosen by the drawing of lots, Peru were picked as the winners and went on to beat Colombia in the final to secure their 2nd continental championship.

Part of the Golazo series.

Game of the week: 20 October 2010

19 October 2010: Argentine club Independiente hosted Uruguayan side Defensor Sporting Club in the second leg of their Copa Sudamericana last 16 game. Independiente trailed 1-0 from the first leg and needed to forget their dismal run of form in the Argentine league which had seen them capitulate pathetically in a 3-1 defeat to Primera División minnows All Boys at the weekend.

Things did not start well for Independiente, after only 12 minutes Defensor scored a vital away goal with an excellent acrobatic strike from Rodrigo Mora, meaning that Independiente had to win by 2 clear goals to progress.

Within 2 minutes Independiente recovered to give themselves some hope with a diving header from Néstor Silva. Five minutes later the comeback was really on when Hernán Fredes scored with an excellent long range strike.

On 28 minutes Independiente put themselves in the lead after excellent work from Patricio Rodríguez down the left to work a crossing opportunity which was controlled and scored brilliantly bu Nicolás Cabrera.

3 minutes into the 2nd half Defensor took the lead on away goals again with a great strike from their young midfielder Diego Rodríguez.

On 75 minutes Independiente after the two substitues combined to score the winner, Alberto Gómez did well to work a crossing opportunity and Nicolás Martínez headed in at the back post.

After a dismal season so far it seems that Independiente have finally found some determination and desire under new manager Antonio Mohammed and as a result have a Copa Sudamericana quarter final against Deportes Tolima of Colombia to look forward to.

Cosas locas: Not very friendly.

8 August 2009: Uruguayan side Peñarol hosted Argentine visitors Newell's Old Boys in a friendly match. After 40 minutes the game descended into a mass brawl after aggression from Peñarol midfielder Julio Mozzo towards Newell's player Diego Mateo. Eventually the Newell's Old Boys players left the field refusing to play on and the game was abandoned.

For more crazy South American football check out the rest of the Cosas locas series.

Come on ref, how's that only a yellow card?

21 September 2010: In the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana tie between Colombian side Deportes Tolima and Bolivian side Oriente Petrolero the Colombian player Jhon Hurtado jumped recklessly into a challenge with Oriente Petrolero's Paraguayan forward Francisco Argüello which left him with a severely broken leg. It happened right in front of referee Juan Soto, who unbelievably deemed the challenge worthy of only a yellow card.

Tolima held on to win the game 2-0 and eliminated Oriente Petrolero from the competition 2-1 on aggregate.

For more crazy South American football check out the rest of the Cosas locas series.

What ever happened to? Darío Silva

Darío Silva in Portsmouth colours.

In the summer of 2005 Portsmouth F.C. signed 32 year old Uruguay international striker Darío Silva on a 2 year contract on a free transfer from Spanish side Sevilla.

Silva had spent his early career in Uruguay playing for Defensor Sporting Club and Peñarol before joining Italian side Cagliari in 1995.

He spent the majority of his career in Spain, where he played for Málaga, Espanyol and Sevilla. he also played for the Uruguay national team, scoring 14 goals in 49 appearances between 1994 and 2005.

In his 13 league appearances for Portsmouth, Silva scored two goals. His goals came on consecutive weekends in games against Charlton and Sunderland. He also scored the only goal of the game in a 0-1 away win against Ipswich Town in the FA Cup in January 2006. Following an ankle injury Portsmouth released him from his contract on 14 February 2006.

Without a club Silva returned to Montevideo in Uruguay where he was involved in a serious car accident on 23 September 2006 in which he was thrown from his pickup truck fracturing his skull and seriously injuring his right leg.

It was decided that there would be no way to save his leg, so he was put into a medically induced coma and the leg was amputated below the knee. Within two weeks he was released from hospital to continue his rehabilitation at home.

After receiving a prosthetic leg in Italy Silva worked hard to regain his fitness and by 2008 he was fit enough to begin playing football again in a local amateur league. He said in an interview that after two years of physiotherapy he felt fitter, stronger and mentally tougher than he did when he was a professional footballer.

In 2009 Silva was invited to play for an Uruguay XI in a charity match against an Argentina XI. He scored one penalty in the game and then the decisive goal in the penalty shootout.

Since his return to fitness there have been many rumours about Silva returning to professional football in the MLS or Australia, but nothing has ever come of them and Silva has never admitted negotiating a return to the professional game.

One of the most bizarre unconfirmed rumours about Silva was a Daily Mail article in 2006 that claimed that he was going to retrain as a rower to represent Uruguay at the 2012 Olympics.

Shortly after his accident Silva stated his desire to return to football as a manager, but in recent years he has become involved in a number of other projects. He is a director of a multinational trading company and has established his own business called EcoFunsa, which recycles tyres by turning them into rubber pellets.

Silva is still involved in football, he is a director at 2nd division side Club Atlético Platense, and is confident that they will soon be playing in the Uruguayan Primera División. He also still plays football as part of the Uruguay Paralympic football team hoping to qualify for the 2012 Paralympic games in London.

Darío Silva has returned to football using a prosthetic leg.

higlights: Brasileirão Série A 2010 - round 30

It was looking like it could have been the most open and exciting Brazilian championship ever, and with only 8 games to go it is now beginning to seem like nobody wants to win it at all.

Santos and Internacional have slipped further behind the leaders after they both suffered away defeats. Despite the return of Ronaldo to the team, long time leaders Corinthians are still stuck in a dismal run of form. They could only manage a 0-0 draw against Guaraní.

The leaders Cruzeiro slipped up, losing 1-2 away at Grêmio, however second place Fluminense couldn't take over the lead after a disappointing 0-0 draw at home against Botafogo.

The only two teams in the top 8 to record wins were Atlético Paranaense and Grêmio who both leapfrogged Botafogo to move up from 7th and 8th, to 6th and 7th.

4th placed Santos played in the game of the weekend, going down 4-3 agains a São Paulo side who played most of the 2nd half with only 10 players after Richarlyson was sent off for a 2nd yellow card.

At the bottom of the table, the two teams in the relegation playoff zone faced each other, Atlético Mineiro won the game 2-0 leapfrogging Avaí in the process. Mineiro didn't escape the playoff zone altogether because both of the teams above them also won, Atlético Goianiense beat Vasco de Gama 2-0 and Vitória won 2-0 against Grêmio Prudente who are still adrift at the bottom, 11 points from safety. Goiás are still in the other automatic relegation place after they lost 2-1 against Atlético Paranaense.

16-10-10
Atlético Paranaense	2-1	Goiás
Flamengo	3-0	Internacional
17-10-10
Palmeiras	1-1	Ceará
Vitória	2-0	Grêmio Prudente
Grêmio	2-1	Cruzeiro
Fluminense	0-0	Botafogo
São Paulo	4-3	Santos
Atlético Mineiro	2-0	Avaí
Guaraní	0-0	Corinthians
Atlético Goianiense	2-0	Vasco da Gama

Golazo: Jonathan Cristaldo chilena

27 September 2009: Vélez Sársfield and Huracán who were the top two teams from the previous season met in the 6th round of the Apertura 2009 tournament. The game finished 2-0 in favour of Vélez thanks to two goals from their talented midfielder Jonathan Cristaldo. The second one was a "chilena" (overhead kick) from well outside the opposition penalty area It was not quite spectacular enough to better Mauro Bressan's effort against Barcelona in 2000, but it is definitely worthy of a spot in the Golazo series.

Aftermath

Shortly afterwards the Huracan manager Ángel Cappa quit because his squad shorn of their best players were failing to get good results. They eventually finished in 19th place, 18 places lower than the previous season. Vélez fared better but failed to retain their title, finishing in 5th place 7 points behind Banfield who won the championship for the first time in their history.

Part of the Golazo series.