Goalkeeper Yosgart Gutierrez announces retirement

Veteran goalkeeper Yosgart Gutierrez announced his retirement from Mexican football. The goalkeeper was playing with Necaxa but came up through Cruz Azul, where he had his best moments. Gutierrez was the starting keeper with La Maquina in two straight Liga MX finals; first in the Clausura 2008 against Santos and then the Apertura 2008 when they got to the Liga MX final and lost it to Toluca in a penalty shootout. Gutierrez will remain with Necaxa, training the youth teams as a goalkeeper coach.

Gutierrez went through the youth teams in Cruz Azul until he made the first team. Unfortunately for him, it was during the time of legendary keeper Oscar Perez. With Perez being a National team keeper, Gutierrez didn’t get to debut until the magical year for him, 2008. Gutierrez was up and coming under Coach Sergio Markarian, and because of some mistakes by Perez he got the starting spot. Cruz Azul had a great season and would get all the way to the Liga MX final in the Clausura 2008 where they would face Santos. Unfortunately for him, Santos defeated Cruz Azul 2-1 in the first leg in Mexico City. In the return leg, Cruz Azul had a brave performance but could only get a 1-1 tie and thus Santos won the title. Markarian left after the season because of problems with the higher ups and Benjamin Galindo took over the team. With Galindo, the team didn’t have as good a regular season but got hot in the Liguilla and ended up going to consecutive finals against Toluca. In the first leg in Mexico City, Toluca got a 2-0 win after a terrible game from Cruz Azul and it looked like the final was set. Yet Cruz Azul stepped up and got a 2-0 win in Toluca, forcing the game into penalties. Unfortunately for him and Gutierrez, Toluca won the title after winning the shootout 7-6. Who knows what would have happened in the game had Juan Manuel Cruzalta gotten a red card for a terrible foul against Cesar Villaluz that the referee didn’t call.

After the final, Gutierrez remained for some time at Cruz Azul, but he eventually lost his starting job to Alfonso Blanco and then to Jose de Jesus Corona. Gutierrez got some playing time in Concacaf Champions League and Copa Libertadores, but eventually left to Atlante. With Atlante he got some time but wouldn’t stay after the loan and return to Cruz Azul. He went out on loan to Pumas but didn’t get starts there either and finally he left to his last team, Necaxa. With Necaxa he would spend four years and win a Copa MX, although eventually he would return to be a second keeper especially after first Marcelo Barovero and then Hugo Gonzalez got to the team. Gutierrez decided to call it quits and joins the youth teams to continue making a career in the second team he shined the most after a notable career in Liga MX.