by Mark Walsh

Rewind 12 months in the history of Santos Laguna football club and followers of the Warriors were breathing a sigh of relief after narrowly escaping relegation on the final day. Press play nowadays and those same green-and-white faces are celebrating winning the national championship for the third time in the club’s history.

With the benefit of hindsight, the harum-scarum relegation battle proved to be the heat that forged the Warriors’ current success. Scalded into action by the threat of dropping into the second tier of Mexican football, the Torreón club’s owners splashed the cash on proven performers such as the experienced goalkeeper and captain Sánchez, the impish Argentine #10 Daniel Ludueña and his compatriot, the returning favorite Matías Vuoso. Added to the exciting Ecuadorian talent Christian Benítez, Santos suddenly had a base capable of delivering much more than mid-table security.

Following survival, Santos were the front runners in the Apertura 2007 tournament last year and although the team failed to sign and seal a final appearance (losing in the semis to Pumas), fans and commentators of Mexican football had the distinct feeling that glory was in the mail. Another comfortable progression to the post-season in the Clausura 2008 was followed by the heart-stopping extra-time win over Monterrey in the semi-final. Two late goals regurgitated a winning draw from the bowels of defeat and suggested Fate was making sure the postman would not need to knock twice to deliver a final appearance.

The title showdown with Cruz Azul proved a clash between Santos’ outstanding individuals and the iron collective of the Cement Men. The first leg at the Estadio Azul in Mexico City on Thursday night looked to be going to plan for Sergio Markarián and his Light Blues when Nicolás Vigneri brushed a header into the top corner from a Carlos Bonet cross in the opening quarter hour. Cruz Azul went on to boss the first half, but failed to push home their advantage with a second goal.

Santos had proven slow starters in the earlier rounds of the play-offs, but Daniel Guzmán’s troops provided a devastating comeback in the second half. The intelligent running of midfield dynamo Fernando Arce fired an equalizer with an hour gone following a blood-twisting run from Benítez down the left. With the clock ticking down, the defining moment caught everybody – even the television cameras – by surprise.

Anxious to take an advantage into the second leg, Cruz Azul looked about to notch a crucial second goal as Vigneri latched on to a bouncing ball in the Santos area. As the Uruguayan prepared to hit the trigger, he seemed to be caught on the heels by a defender and tumbled theatrically to the ground. Referee Marco Antonio Rodriguez waved away the penalty appeals and while television lenses were trained on the protesting Light Blues, Benítez swept to the other end of the pitch, skipped past two defenders and delivered a stinging blow to give the Warriors a priceless away win.

Back in Torreón, Sunday’s second leg was suddenly Santos’ title for the taking. In keeping with recent matches, however, the expectation and nerves appeared to seep into the Santos players, who looked more skittish than a stable full of colts at the smell of smoke. Amid the 44-degree heat, an early goal for Cruz Azul would really have had the fire alarms ringing and Santos had Sánchez to thank for keeping the scores level when he dived on a snapshot from Miguel Sabah in the opening exchanges.

Despite starting slower than a snail on Valium, Santos’ great virtue in the last twelve months has been the team’s attacking incision. Apart from the attacking triumvirate, the marauding runs of Edgar Castillo from left full-back have attracted admiring glances and the 21-year-old again provided the thrust to settle the home fans’ nerves. Driving into the box in the 16th minute, Castillo managed to force the ball back to Ludueña lurking on the edge of the box. The Argentine took one touch to free the angle before curling a precise shot past Yosgart Gutiérrez to give Santos a two-goal cushion in the tie.

With the taste of victory stinging the lips like an especially hot enchilada, Santos could have been two up before half time when Benítez fired a glorious opening into orbit from just five yards out after a scramble in the Cruz Azul box left the goal at his mercy. Guzmán’s Warriors stayed in control after the break, but as time inched away and the sedative of a second goal remained elusive, Santos’ nerves frayed.

With ten minutes to go and Cruz Azul still needing two goals to take the match into extra time, the Green-and-White hordes sensed glory and animated the stadium with a pañolada – but the handkerchiefs being waved in the air were put to more conventional use wiping sweaty brows when Jaime Lozano equalized for the Light Blues in the 83rd minute. Referee Armando Archundia played seven minutes extra time while Santos fans chewed nails to the quick and started on their knuckles as Cementeros’ striker Pablo Zeballos twice scuffed shots in quick succession just ten yards from the Santos goal.

A minute later – with the Warriors’ fans about to start gnawing on wrist stumps – Archundia finally blew the full-time whistle and the Estadio Corona burst with green and white confetti to hail the new champions. “Santos won because we were the best team during the last two tournaments,” said a breathless Oswaldo Sánchez before clasping his gloved hands on the Clausura 2008 trophy.

The top points haul of any team in the 2007-2008 season, first and second finishes in the general table and the Primera División’s most deadly attack: Oswaldo was right, justice was served – Santos Laguna are the champions of Mexico.

What a difference a year makes.