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Expresso da Vitória

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The Expresso da Vitória (English: Victory Express) is known as one of the best association football squads in the history of CR Vasco da Gama and played between 1944 and 1953. The name would have appeared in a musical show of Rádio Nacional, where a singer, when performing, said that he would dedicate the music to Vasco, called by him "Express Train of Victory", for running over his opponents on the pitch.

The Victory Express in 1949.

This generation of players, was mainly commanded by the Uruguayan coach Ondino Viera and was one of the first Brazilian team to use the 4-2-4 tactical scheme, which strongly influenced Brazilian and Uruguayan football in the 50s.[1] The Vasco squad was also the first Brazilian team (either club or national team) to win an international title outside Brazil, the South American Championship of Champions in 1948. In all, there were eighteen titles in ten years, of which five were Cariocas, three undefeatedly defeated. It formed the basis of the Rio de Janeiro national team that won the Brazilian State Teams Championship in 1946 and 1950,[2] of the Brazilian team, champion of the Copa Rio Branco in 1947 and 1950 and champion of the South American Championship in 1949, in addition to taking Brazil for the first time in history to a final of the 50th World Cup, with eight Vasco players more the coach, Flávio Costa.

History

In 1942 he assumed the presidency of Vasco Cyro Aranha. At that time, the club lived an uncomfortable five-year fast without any title within the city of Rio de Janeiro. Trying to reverse this situation, Cyro adopted a long-term policy, based on hiring young players.[3] That's how goalkeeper Barbosa, striker Ademir de Menezes, midfielders Jair da Rosa Pinto, Lelé, Isaías, Ely and Djalma and winger Chico arrived. The coach was the Uruguayan Ondino Viera.

The Vasco da Gama striker Ademir de Menezes, main player of the "Victory Express", which scored more than 300 goals with Vasco da Gama jersey.[4][5]

Victory Express was the unbeaten South American champion in 1948 over Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate, becoming the first champion of the América do Sul.

The first title came in 1944, with the victory in the Lightning Tournament. Later in the same season, the cast would go on to win the Home Tournament and the Municipal Tournament. In Campeonato Carioca the express train reached the last round tied on points with arch-rivals Flamengo. At the end of the decisive game, the red-black player Valido headed the only goal of the game, in a dubious move. The striker would have supported the Vasco defender Argemiro to head. However, the goal was validated by the referee and the Vasco team ended up being runners-up.

1945 was the best year for Expresso in terms of number of titles. The team was two-time champion of the Start and Municipal Tournaments and undefeated champion of Rio de Janeiro, a fact that had not happened for more than two decades.[3] Neste carioca o escrete vascaíno produziu diversas goleadas, como os 5x1 sobre o Bangu e os 9x0 sobre o Bonsucesso, a maior goleada do torneio. O time base era composto por Rodrigues, Augusto e Rafanelli, Berascochea, Eli e Argemiro, Djalma, Ademir de Menezes, Lelé, Isaías e Jair da Rosa Pinto.

In 1946, Vasco lost its main striker: Ademir de Menezes, who went to Fluminense. In addition to him, Uruguayan Ondino Viera left and coach Ernesto dos Santos took over. Even with the important shortage, Expresso still won the Lightning and Municipal Tournaments that year. In this, Barbosa debuted, considered by many the greatest Vasco goalkeeper of all time.[6] In Carioca, however, the team did not go beyond fifth place.

In 1947, coach Flávio Costa, three-time champion in 1942, 1943 and 1944 for Flamengo, took over from Ernesto. That year, the team was four-time champion of the Municipal Tournament, once again undefeated Carioca champion and won the Centenario Cup, beating Combined Sporting, Benfica and Belenenses 4x3 in a friendly at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon. The highlight of the season was the attack from Vasco, made up of Djalma, Maneca, Friaça, Lelé and Chico. In the Municipal Tournament there were 40 goals in 10 games; in the state championship the team scored 68 times in 20 games. In this one, the cast applied several routs, highlighting the 14–1 over Canto do Rio, the highest score of the professional era of Carioca football.[7]

First continental champion in history

On December 18, 1947, Vasco received the official invitation to compete in the 1948 South American Championship of Champions, in Santiago, organized by the Chilean champions club Colo-Colo.[2] In addition to Vasco and the organizer, five more clubs took part in the competition: the Argentine River Plate, the Uruguayan Nacional, the Bolivian Litoral, the Ecuatorian Emelec, and the Peruvian Deportivo Municipal. This was the great favorite of the tournament: exercising wide dominance over Argentine football in the 40's, the River Plate's La Máquina had Alfredo Di Stéfano as its great star, considered the best player in the world at the time, while the Argentine squad was considered the great South American squad. Another club pointed out as a favorite was Nacional; Vasco, on the other hand, did not enjoy such prestige among the international chronicle.[8]

Vasco da Gama against River Plate for 1948 South American Championship.

Vasco da Gama landed in Santiago on February 8. The Vasco delegation consisted of 26 members under the leadership of Diogo Rangel: the director, Octávio Póvoas; the physician Amílcar Giffoni; the masseuse Mario Américo; cook Laudelino de Oliveira; referee Alberto da Gama Malcher; journalist Ricardo Serran (from the newspaper O Globo), coach Flavio Costa and eighteen players. The base team was formed by the goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa, the defenders Augusto and Wilson, the midfieldes Danilo Alvim, Ely and Jorge Dias, and the strikers Ademir Menezes, Chico, Djalma, Friaça, Ismael and Maneca.[8]

Vasco came away with the trophy after a deciding 0–0 draw against River Plate on the last round of matches. Vasco da Gama had already defeated Lítoral and Emelec 1–0 each, thumped Nacional 3–1, trashed Deportivo Municipal 4–0 and tied 1–1 with the host club Colo-Colo.

Honours (1944–1953)

State

Continental

International

  • Taça Centenários: 1947
  • Troféu Presidente Juan Domingo Perón: 1948
  • Quadrangular Internacional do Rio: 1953
  • Taça Cinquentenário do Racing Club: 1953
  • Torneio Internacional de Santiago: 1953

Notable players

References

  1. ^ Rotstein, Gustavo (12 April 2012). "GloboEsporte.com - 'Pai' do Expresso da Vitória, técnico uruguaio é referência do Nacional". Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  2. ^ a b Alexandre Mesquita e Jefferson Almeida. "Netvasco: VASCO, REPRESENTANTE DO BRASIL". Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  3. ^ a b Alexandre Mesquita e Jefferson Almeida. "Netvasco: NASCE O EXPRESSO DA VITÓRIA: O PRIMEIRO TIME DO BRASIL CAMPEÃO NO EXTERIOR". Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  4. ^ "1945: o ano em que São Januário virou o caldeirão da Portela". Globoesporte. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Ademir de Menezes, o Queixada, faria 89 anos nesta terça-feira". Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  6. ^ Gilmar Ferreira (11 January 2007). "Gilmar Ferreira: Time dos sonhos..." Retrieved 10 September 2008.
  7. ^ Alexandre Mesquita. "Netvasco: Há 60 anos o Expresso da Vitória ganhava mais um título carioca". Retrieved 10 September 2008.
  8. ^ a b Alexandre Mesquita e Jefferson Almeida. "Netvasco: DELEGAÇÃO DO VASCO CHEGA AO CHILE". Retrieved 10 October 2008.
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