Carlos Bravo, coach of the Antofagasta U-17 National Team, celebrates excitedly and remembers his father in heaven. He has just been crowned champion of Chile with his under-17 team, which defeated Villarrica 4-1 in the final of the Ñuble 2024 National Youth Amateur Soccer Championship, at the ANFA Chillán stadium, winning a title that was elusive to his ” old” in 2006.
In the other sector of the stadium, the Villarrica players cry and are consoled by coach Emanuel Lizama, who has a tight heart, because he led his boys, even though his daughter was in poor health, hospitalized in the La Region. Araucanía, from where nearly 400 fans arrived to cheer on the “Hijos del Lago”, in an unprecedented final in the history of Villaricense amateur football.
Thus, with mixed emotions, the youth contest that paralyzed Ñuble for 10 days was defined, at the venues of Chillán, Coelemu, Quillón and San Carlos.
Antofagasta shouted champion with hierarchy, when several left him for dead in the first phase. Appealing to offensive forcefulness, good ball handling and defensive order, the northerners won with goals from Cotapos (header), Díaz and Bugueño (2), while Raipan scored for Villarrica.
The voice of champions
“My brothers traveled 24 hours to support me. I failed a lot and I always wanted to get this title for my old man who is in heaven. My players were humble and warriors on the field. The hierarchy of this team was key, we had lost two national finals and now we won,” confessed Carlos Bravo, coach of Villarrica.
“We went out with all the enthusiasm. We didn’t hold anything back and we were given the national title. They left us for dead, but the coaching staff never let us down. I want to be a professional player and I hope to reach the top,” declared the winner and fair play winner, Luciano Villagra.
“It is a tremendous joy. She had had a bad time before. Constant work was the key to the title and it paid off,” stressed Vicente Calle, winner of the prize for the least beaten fence.
“We experienced a great final. Since 1975 Chillán did not have a Nacional. All the teams showed talent, the young people had the opportunity to get to know our region and play fair. We are going to continue betting on energizing sport to encourage a healthy life. We want to support these types of events so that the fields belong to the families once more,” said the governor of Ñuble, Óscar Crisóstomo.
“We salute the families of Antofagasta and Villarrica who came to support these two teams. I thank the Regional Government that supported us for this National, the municipality and all the authorities and collaborators who made this great challenge possible. Now we want to enhance local amateur football and in two years organize another National”, stressed Carlos San Martín, president of ANFA Chillán.
Talcahuano third
Meanwhile, the Talcahuano National Team took third place following beating Iquique 5-0.
“We are happy, achieving this is history for Talcahuano, grateful for the support of the fans and my teammates. This was the result of concentration,” confessed Denis Quezada, Talcahuano forward.
“We wanted first place, but this third place for all the people of Talcahuano and the Eighth Region,” said Enyelver Rivera, creative midfielder of the Buenos Aires team.
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