Americans Abroad

Walker’s shutout leads Católica to Chilean league title.

By Robert Wagman
SoccerTimes

(Tuesday, July 2, 2002) -- American goalkeeper Jonny Walker posted a shutout, leading Universidad Católica to its eighth Chilean League championship and first since 1997.

For Walker, who celebrated his first crown with Católica, the week promises to get better. He and wife Shauna are awaiting the imminent birth of their second child.

Any victory would have done for Católica, but it rolled to a 4-0 victory Sunday in the "Vuelta," or home leg against Rangers at San Carlos de Apoquindo Stadium in Santiago before a boisterous sell-out crowd in excess of 20,000.

The "Ida," or away leg, ended in a 1-1 tie in Talca, Chile on Wednesday.

Walker stopped a hard shot from Marcos González in the 22nd minute. With Católica up 2-0 in the 54th minute, he stopped a hard eight-yard volley from Rubén Vallejos and preserved the shutout in the 83rd with a save on Miguel Risso at the far post.

By taking the league title, Católica secured one of Chile’s three places in the prestigious Copa Libertadores 2003.

Senior correspondent Robert Wagman's "It Seems To Me . . . " appears regularly on SoccerTimes. He can be e-mailed at bobwagman@soccertimes.com..