Angulo hat-trick helps get Maradona off to winning start in Mexico

A hat-trick from Vinicio Angulo helped get Diego Maradona’s managerial career in Mexico off to the perfect start on Monday as his new club Dorados beat Tapachula 4-1 in Culiacan.

Ecuadorean striker Vinicio Angulo struck in the 59th and 61st minutes and although Argentine Sebastian Ibars got a goal back for the visitors two minutes later, Angulo converted a penalty with a quarter of an hour remaining to put them 3-1 up.

Alonso Escoboza added a fourth for the home side in the 85th minute to cap a perfect night for the Argentine coach on his return to the sidelines.

Maradona, who is taking charge of his first club since leaving Gulf league side Al-Fujairah SC in April, surprised the football world when he signed with the Pacific coast team earlier this month.

The former Boca Juniors and Napoli striker has been feted in Culiacan, a sweltering city notorious for its drug cartels, and fans there hope he will help take the side back into Mexico’s first division.

Monday’s victory was the Dorados first league win this season and lifts them into 10th place in the 15-team second tier.

The delighted 57-year old joined players and fans doing the Viking thunderclap on the field after the game.

“This was what we needed after not being able to win,” Angulo told ESPN. “Maradona’s arrival helped our mood, the boys felt more free.”