On Oct. 12, 1962, San Lorenzo and Boca Juniors met at the Viejo Gasómetro stadium in Buenos Aires for a match that ended in a 2-2 draw, Página|12 reported. The confrontation pitted San Lorenzo striker José Sanfilippo against Boca Juniors goalkeeper Antonio Roma, setting off a chain of events that author Osvaldo Soriano later immortalized in prose.
The Prematch Wager at the Viejo Gasómetro
In the days leading up to the fixture on Avenida La Plata, Sanfilippo taunted his opponent with a specific prediction. The forward told Roma that he would score twice, including one audacious goal using his heel right at the start of the match. Roma, nicknamed “Tarzan” for his athletic command of the penalty area, dismissed the forward’s diminutive stature and warned that he would crush him like a cockroach if he got too close, Página|12 reported.
The match kicked off with a long ball over the top from Elvio Capdevilla. Sanfilippo ran onto the pass, caught the defense flat-footed, and lifted a delicate heel-kick over the advancing Boca goalkeeper to find the back of the net.
Debating the Speed of the Opening Strike
For years, Sanfilippo claimed the effort was the fastest goal in the history of Argentine professional football, insisting it occurred just five seconds after the opening whistle. That record, however, was later corrected by the publication El Gráfico. Journalist Juvenal reviewed the match timeline and confirmed that the goal actually occurred at the 20-second mark, noting that the true record for the fastest strike belonged to Carlos Dantón Seppacquercia following a 1979 goal against Huracán.
Despite the correction, the play remained a central fixture of Sanfilippo’s public recounting. He frequently brought up the strike during television appearances and interviews, reinforcing his legendary status as a prolific four-time consecutive top scorer for San Lorenzo.
Recreating the Legend Among Supermarket Aisles
The goal eventually transcended sports reporting to enter the realm of fiction. Osvaldo Soriano captured the sequence in a letter written to Eduardo Galeano for his book El fútbol a sol y sombra. Soriano described a surreal afternoon spent walking with Sanfilippo through the aisles of the Carrefour supermarket built directly on the former grounds of the Viejo Gasómetro.
Surrounded by grocery carts, canned goods, and dairy displays, the retired striker pointed out the exact patch of floor where he claimed the play began. Amidst startled shoppers and cashiers, Sanfilippo reenacted the movement, jogging across the linoleum, letting an imaginary ball bounce, and executing a left-footed strike toward the checkout counters where the old goalposts once stood.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where did the match take place?
The fixture between San Lorenzo and Boca Juniors occurred on Oct. 12, 1962, at the Viejo Gasómetro stadium located on Avenida La Plata in Buenos Aires.
How quickly did Sanfilippo score the famous goal?
While Sanfilippo maintained for decades that he scored the goal just five seconds into the match, sports publication El Gráfico later corrected the timing to 20 seconds.
Which writer immortalized the supermarket reenactment?
Argentine author Osvaldo Soriano documented the reenactment in a letter to writer Eduardo Galeano, detailing an afternoon walk with Sanfilippo through the supermarket that replaced their former stadium.
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