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Maradona wins first game in Mexico as coach of Dorados

Diego Maradona speaks to the media after his first match as coach of Mexican second-division club Dorados
Image: Diego Maradona speaks to the media after his first match as coach of Mexican second-division club Dorados

Diego Maradona won on his Mexican coaching debut on Monday, as the Argentine legend's new club, Dorados, routed fellow second-division side Cafetaleros 4-1.

Maradona has raised eyebrows with his decision to coach the struggling team from Culiacan, Sinaloa, in the heart of Mexican drug cartel country.

But he was all smiles as Ecuadoran forward Vinicio Angulo - wearing Maradona's old number 10 - scored a hat-trick to give the new coach the win.

"We played a great match," Maradona told a packed press conference afterwards.

"Some people said Maradona's useless. There were a lot of stupid people going on television to fill up the time. I hope they'll come to the pitch now and look at my record and see what we're actually doing, see that I know how to do this.

Diego Maradona (R) celebrates a goal with his player Jose Alberto Garcia
Image: Diego Maradona (R) celebrates a goal with his player Jose Alberto Garcia

"This was nothing, this was just one match.

"We're still going to be playing in a lot of finals. Let's not think we've achieved anything with this match. This is just the start of a beautiful dream."

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Diego Maradona (C) celebrates with his players
Image: Diego Maradona (C) celebrates with his players

Maradona, 57, led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

His coaching career has been less stellar, and he has publicly struggled with drug addiction, alcoholism and obesity along the way.

He got a hero's welcome when he arrived in Culiacan last week but Dorados's 20,000-seat stadium was far from full for his first game in charge.

Attendance did more than double from the club's recent matches, however: there were 10,133 fans in attendance, up from just over 4,000 on average at the previous two home appearances.

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