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Corporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali, is a Colombian football team, based in Cali. The club was founded in 1927. América is widely recognized as one of the most notable and traditional clubs in Colombian soccer history, being the club to have won the second largest number of Mustang Cups (The Colombian First Division). It is considered to be one of the South American soccer powerhouses, because of its international appearances and its worldwide famous players. America is also known as "La Mechita Roja," Literally meaning the red spark, because their explosive attacks and fast paced soccer. America is recognized as having produced Colombia's top players and they are constantly being exported to leagues across the world. Most of the famous Colombian players that now triumph across the world of soccer and the Colombian national team, were made famous while playing for this institution. However, the past few years have shown a deterioration of the talent that once ranked it among the world's best.
[edit] History
[edit] The beginning
América de Cali was founded on February 13, 1927 in one of the popular parts of Santiago de Cali, then an economically emerging city in the Colombian. After being expelled inexplicably from the regional tournament, América decides to tour the country in order to continue playing the sport, thus becoming the first Colombian team to play around the country. On February 16, 1948, América officially becomes the first professional Colombian soccer team, and had a large part in creating the first Colombian professional soccer tournament that took place that year, giving the first star (A recognition of winnig the tournament) to Independiente Santa Fe.
[edit] The first championships
América got off to a slow start in the Colombian tournament, not achieving even the runner-up position until 1960 and not playing its first Copa Libertadores until 1969. However, the team went through a radical change in 1979, hiring Gabriel Ochoa Uribe as its Coach. During the 12 years Gabriel Ochoa Uribe worked as coach of the team, América obtained its first seven Mustang Cup's and rapidly created an immense diversity of fans that cheered it around the country. During these years, América finished second place in the Copa Libertadores consecutively from 1985-1987.
After Gabriel Ochoa Uribe left the insititution in 1991, many feared that the winning streak for the 'Red Devils' was over. But in 1992, under the direction of coach Francisco Maturana, América obtained its eighth star and appeared to continue its winning streak, although it would be five years until the next championship was won. In 1996, after qualifying again for the Copa Libertadors, América faced River Plate in the final, losing famously on an Oscar Córdoba error.
[edit] 2000s and the Clinton List
Despite having won the Colombian League three more times from 2000-2002, América has entered the millennium in economic hardship and unable to prove the team that astonished the world in the 1980s. In 1995, Corporación Deportiva América was placed under watch by Executive Order 12798, commonly known in Colombia as the Clinton List. Because of its past connections with drug cartels, the United States froze the team's assets in the U.S. (valued around $1 Million), and ordered other companies not to conduct direct business with América. Since then, América's economic crisis has been severe. Currently immersed in nearly $2 million dollars worth of debt, América has survived four years without a direct sponsor and only receiving money through minimum attendance at the Pascual Guerrero and the selling of soccer jerseys. The monthly salaries of its players do not exceed $3000 dollars, and América has seen itself forced to make money by selling its most recognized players. However, despite its troubling economic situation, América has mantained a very respectable level of play and still holds a strong tradition as a historical team, although this is slowly fading too. In 2003, America again faced River Plate in the quarterfinal round of the Copa Libertadores, and got their revenge by winning 4-1 (see video).
2006 would officially mark the beginning of the end of a golden generation that América de Cali was known for.
[edit] Copa Mustang I
The afternoon of May 21 2006 would seal the fate of Atlético Nacional and América de Cali. América de Cali came to the Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín after 2-1 victory over Envigado while Atlético Nacional missed out on another chance to seal their place in the Group Stage after a 1-1 draw with Independiente Medellín. América de Cali hopes of reaching the Group Stage for the Copa Mustang I in 2006 were crushed that day when they suffered one of the worst defeats against Atlético Nacional. Sergio Galván Rey and Oscar Echeverri would come heroes as Atlético Nacional defeated América de Cali 6-0 which resulted América de Cali in 10th place with 27 points and out of the finals.
[edit] Copa Mustang II
The new season began on July 21 and América did not do well, struggling at the bottom of the table, having sold most of its top players and, according to President Carlos Puente, having the least expensive roster of the last years. In the end the team would lose 11 matches
Fixtures & Results
[edit] Honors
-
- 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002-I
Named second best team in the world in 1996.
[edit] Current squad
As of March 24th, 2007
| No. |
|
Position |
Player |
| ? |
 |
GK |
Milton Patiño |
| ? |
|
DF |
Anier Figueroa |
| ? |
|
DF |
Manuel Galarcio |
| ? |
|
DF |
Jossimar Quiñónez |
| ? |
|
DF |
Pablo Stifer Armero |
| ? |
|
DF |
Carlos Valdez |
| ? |
|
DF |
Andrés González |
| ? |
|
MF |
Carlos Angulo |
| ? |
|
MF |
Jorge Banguero |
| ? |
|
MF |
Harrison Otálvaro Arce |
| ? |
|
MF |
Victor Danilo Pacheco |
| ? |
|
MF |
Pablo Cesar Arango |
| ? |
|
MF |
Oswaldo Mackenzie |
| ? |
|
FW |
Duvier Riascos Barahona |
| ? |
|
FW |
Christian Alberto Lopez |
|
|
| No. |
|
Position |
Player |
| ? |
|
GK |
Rolando Vargas |
| ? |
|
GK |
Sebastian Narvaez |
| ? |
|
DF |
Brayan Angulo |
| ? |
|
DF |
Pedro Tavima |
| ? |
|
DF |
Nondier Romero |
| ? |
|
MF |
Fram Pacheco |
| ? |
|
MF |
Javier Reina |
| ? |
|
MF |
Jorge Enrique Vargas |
| ? |
|
MF |
Andres Felipe Arboleda |
| ? |
|
MF |
Gian Carlo Dueñas |
| ? |
|
FW |
Carlos Preciado |
| ? |
|
FW |
Humberto Osorio |
| ? |
|
FW |
Mauricio Mendoza |
| ? |
 |
FW |
Germán Carlos Arangio |
| ? |
|
FW |
Milton Rodriguez |
|
Transfers 2006/07
- In
- Out
Renewal 2006/07
| ? |
|
MF |
Victor Danilo Pacheco (one season) |
[edit] External link
Roberto Cabañas
Colombian Mustang Cup 2007 teams:
