Maradona nearly died’ I am sad.

Football icon Diego Maradona’s hopes of winning his first coaching title were dashed Sunday as his Dorados team lost the Mexican second-division finals, along with their shot at promotion.

the isolated goal of the second leg in extra time was scored by Rivals Atletico San Luis scored to clinch the title and a spot in the first divisionmaking it the second time they have left Maradona empty-handed in two repeated finals.

The Argentine ex coach  said after the match. “I nearly died… But it’s fine. I’m sad for my boys, though,”

been held 1-1 in the first leg at home in Culiacan, The Argentine great and his team faced a tough task heading into the second-leg match, having in the northwestern state of Sinaloa.

They managed to clutch Atletico to 90 goalless minutes playing away in the central city of San Luis Potosi.But Unai Bilbao Spanish defender slotted in the please winning goal for the home team in the 103rd minute, after Dorados ‘keeper Gaspar Servio failed to clear a free kick.

The loss which ended a 14-game unbeaten streak for Dorados, who faced a hostile crowd of nearly 30,000 that booed Maradona relentlessly.

Diego Maradona, 58, took up  the coaching job mantle at the Sinaloa-based club in September  amusing sceptics who questioned why the 1986 World Cup champion, who has battled openly various addictions, would move to a place improved known for drug cartels than football.

But he has answered his critics by coaching the struggling Dorados to back-to-back finals, both against San Luis.San Luis defeated Dorados 4-3 on aggregate in the fall season finals in December.

an associate of Atletico Madrid Having now won the pounce finals, too, the club  achieve automatic promotion to the first division. Had been  they lost the game, they would have faced a playoff against Dorados to decide the team that the deserve promotion.

But the dream of winning a title as coach still eludes him, after stints managing the Argentine national team and various clubs in Argentina, the Middle East and now Mexico. Maradona can rightfully boast to having turned Dorados around

he said In April, he planned to leave Dorados at the end of the season, alleging the league’s referees were partial against him.