Rainer Wirth

Rainer Klaus Wirth Castro (born 25 October 1982) is a Chilean former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Wirth and the second or maternal family name is Castro.
Rainer Wirth
Personal information
Full name Rainer Klaus Wirth Castro
Date of birth (1982-10-25) 25 October 1982
Place of birth Santiago, Chile
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1994–2001 Universidad Católica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2006 Universidad Católica 25 (0)
2006 → Temuco (loan) 0 (0)
2007–2008 Colo-Colo 17 (0)
2009 → Iquique (loan) 10 (0)
2010–2011 Unión Española 21 (0)
2012 La Serena 25 (0)
2014–2015 Magallanes 16 (0)
Total 114 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He is the son of former Chilean international Oscar Wirth who was part of national team-1982 World Cup squad.

Club career

Universidad Católica

Born in Santiago in 1982, a son of the famous goalkeeper Oscar Wirth, Rainer joined Universidad Católica youth ranks in 1994, when he was 12. Eight years later, he was promoted to Católica's first team, being designated as the second-choice goalkeeper under the American Jonny Walker. In the 2002 season, Wirth won the Apertura Tournament title. The next year, on 15 April, he debuted in the 2003 Copa Libertadores, in a 1–1 draw with the Brazilian side Paysandu.

After of years of regularly playing for Católica and a loan completed to Deportes Temuco in January 2006, in June of that year, he returned from his loan because the record-man José María Buljubasich was operated on for a benign brain tumor. He played all the second semester of the season with Católica. His contract was not renewed and he was released from the club in December.

Colo-Colo

On 5 January 2007, Wirth moved to rival team Colo-Colo for an undisclosed fee; the same month he traveled to England to try out with Premier League club Manchester City. It was revealed that the Chilean played very well, but the club was not looking for a goalkeeper.[1] Wirth was originally signed as second-choice goalkeeper, as back-up to Sebastián Cejas. On 27 January, he made his club debut in a 2–1 win over Deportes Melipilla, replacing the injured Cejas in the 45th minute.[2] On 5 May, after of the elimination of Colo-Colo in the Copa Libertadores, Wirth played his second game for the club, in the 2−2 away draw with Cobreloa, the full 90 minutes.[3] He won his third professional title after a successful championship of Colo-Colo, only losing one match of twenty, that was against Audax Italiano in a 1–0 loss with goal of Rodolfo Moya.[4][5]

Despite Cristián Muñoz's joining the team, after the Cejas' departure of the club, Wirth played in Colo-Colo's opening game of the Clausura Tournament, and his club won 4–1.[6] On 2 August 2007, Wirth was chosen ahead of Muñoz to start in the Copa Sudamericana first stage game against Real Potosí. He produced a man-of-the-match performance, saving numerous challenging shots which helped Colo-Colo to draw the game 1–1.[7] Wirth continued his run of starts in his next six appearances, contesting the post with the goalkeeper Muñoz, that finally was selected as the first-choice goalkeeper, due to his good performances in the field, after conceding only one goal in the playoffs, that meant Wirth was the second-choice goalkeeper of Colo-Colo.[8]

In January 2008, Wirth played the friendly tournament City of Osorno, playing very well in the 2–2 draw with Unión Española, saving three shots in the penalties. Despite of that, Wirth not started in the first week of the Apertura Tournament against Provincial Osorno. In the fifth week of the tournament against Rangers, Wirth was started in a 2–2 draw, in where he conceded a goal to the forward Lucas Palma in the last minute of game. After the surprise resignation of Claudio Borghi as coach, who led Colo-Colo to important victories, Wirth was starter in the first game of Fernando Astengo as coach, in a 2–1 win over Deportes Antofagasta, in which he also saved a penalty, but in the repetition of that for overtaking of Wirth, he failed to save the penalty and conceded a goal in the victory. He again started in the two last weeks of the regular phase against Cobreloa and Cobresal. After the penta-championship loss against Everton, the coach Astengo was fired and arrived the former footballer of the club, Marcelo Barticciotto, who only used to Wirth in a Copa Chile game against Fernández Vial, that Colo-Colo won 4–2. After his lack of games in the season, it was reported that Wirth would no longer be part of the plans of Barticciotto.

Municipal Iquique

On 29 December 2008, it was reported that Wirth and Cristobal Jorquera would join Municipal Iquique.[9] The next day, it was confirmed that he joined Municipal Iquique along with the Argentine striker Cristián Campozano.[10] The keeper arrived to the club on loan. On 9 January 2009, he traveled to the city of Iquique and joined the club training.[11] On 29 January, Wirth debuted in a 4–0 defeat against his former club, Universidad Católica.[12] The next week, against Curicó Unido, he played very well in a 1–0 win. On 13 February, for the third matchday of the tournament, received a free kick goal from Jaime Riveros in a 1–0 defeat with Everton,[13] but in the next game, Wirth kept a clean sheet in a 3–0 win over Palestino. In the sixth week of the 2009 Apertura Tournament against Universidad de Chile, he played very well in an important draw without goals. On 8 February, Wirth suffered an achilles tendon rupture in his left foot, in a league match against Santiago Morning. During the match against Morning he played just 25 minutes, being replaced by Rodrigo Naranjo. The next day it was reported that he would miss the rest of the tournament, because his injury would require a recovery period of four months.[14]

Wirth was fully recovered from his injury in August, and on the 27th, against San Marcos de Arica, he saved the last shot in the penalty kicks to Nicolás Ortíz, that send to Iquique to the Copa Chile quarterfinals.[15] In the weeks eight and nine, he played against Ñublense and Audax Italiano, in where Iquique was defeated 3–1 and 2–0, respectively.[16] After his last appearances for the team, Naranjo with best performances of Wirth won the post of the first-choice keeper of the club.

Unión Española

On 1 January 2010, Wirth signed a contract with Unión Española,[17] after being released by Colo-Colo. Rainer officially debuted on 16 July in a 2–1 home loss against Unión San Felipe,[18][19] recently in the second part of the tournament after of the FIFA World Cup. On 5 September, Wirth again started for Unión in a 3–2 win over Everton, and in a surprise move five days later, was selected by the coach José Luis Sierra for play against Universidad Católica. He again was selected by Sierra for play in the last games of the tournament and in the Copa Libertadores playoffs ahead of Luis Marín due to Wirth's good performance.[20] He also won the Libertadores playoffs title, after the defeat of Audax Italiano in the final.[21]

Wirth started the 2011 season as the first choice goalkeeper of Unión for the Copa Libertadores preliminary stage against Bolívar,[22] following of the departures of Luis Marín to O'Higgins[23] and Gregory Saavedra to Deportes Temuco. He kept two clean sheets in the two games of the key against Bolívar, helping to his team in advance to the next stage, after a 1–0 win of Unión in the aggregate result.[24] For the national tournament he started in the first week against Cobreloa, in where he conceded two goals in a 2–0 home loss, but in his next game for the second week against Santiago Wanderers, he was the man-of-the-match in a 2–1 victory.[25] Following the incorporation of the keepers Eduardo Lobos[26] and the Uruguayan Federico Elduayen,[27] he was relegated as the second-choice goalkeeper of the club, because Elduayen suffered a serious injury of three-months that forced him to miss the Apertura Tournament.[28]

After the first semester, Lobos was purchased by Colo-Colo[29] and Wirth started the first six games of Unión in the Clausura Tournament, due to the recovery period of Elduayén.[30] When the Uruguayan keeper was fully recovered from his injury, it was expected that Wirth would be the first choice goalkeeper of the club, but with the good performance of Elduayén, Wirth finally was the second goalkeeper of Unión. In December was reported that he and some other players would be released.[31]

La Serena

On 10 January 2012, it was reported that Wirth would play in Deportes La Serena for the Apertura Tournament and replace the Argentine keeper Marcos Gutiérrez, who was released from the club despite a good season.[32] On 28 January, he made his debut in a 2–0 loss against Rangers for the Apertura's first week, receiving goals of José Luis Silva and Milton Caraglio, after a good free kick of the last.[33] In the next game against the 2011 Copa Sudamericana champion Universidad de Chile, Wirth played very well, despite of the 3–1 loss, stopping numerous attempts of the rival adversary.[34]

Honours

Club

Universidad Católica

Colo-Colo

References
  1. "Colo-Colo suma su cuarto refuerzo para la temporada 2007". Terra Chile. 5 January 2007.
  2. "1° Fecha: Melipilla 1-2 Colo Colo". Dalealbo.cl. 5 January 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
  3. "Un "alternativo" Colo Colo mantuvo el invicto ante Cobreloa". Cooperativa.cl. 5 May 2007.
  4. "Audax rompió el invicto de Colo Colo y puso al rojo vivo el Apertura". Cooperativa.cl. 16 July 2007.
  5. "Colo Colo sufrió para derrotar a Palestino y consiguió estrella 26". Emol.cl. 16 July 2007.
  6. "1° Fecha: Colo Colo 4-1 Melipilla". Dalealbo.cl. 24 July 2007.
  7. "Colo Colo desafía altura y empata 1-1 con Real Potosí por Copa Sudamericana". Terra.com. 3 August 2007.
  8. "Rainer Wirth - 2007 Season".
  9. "Cristobal Jorquera y Rainer Wirth se acercan a Municipal Iquique". Emol.com. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  10. "Rainer Wirth y Argentino Cristián Campozano se suman a Municipal Iquique". Futbol Iquique.cl. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  11. "Rainer Wirth se suma a los trabajos de Municipal Iquique". Iquique.cl. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  12. "Universidad Católica goleó a domicilio a Municipal Iquique por 4-0". Emol.cl. 29 January 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  13. "Torneo de Apertura 2009 Everton vs Municipal Iquique en vivo". Mepongodepie.com. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  14. "Rainer Wirth estará cuatro meses fuera de las canchas". Iquique.cl. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  15. "Copa Chile: Iquique recurrió a los penales para dejar en el camino a San Marcos". Cooperativa.com. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  16. "Rainer Wirth at Football Lineups - 2009 season". Football-Lineups.
  17. "Unión Española sorprendió con fichaje de ecuatoriano Giovanny Espinoza". Cooperativa.cl. 1 January 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2010.
  18. "San Felipe sorprendió a Unión Española y lo derrotó a domicilio". Cooperativa.cl. 16 July 2010.
  19. "Unión Española y Unión San Felipe abren la 16ª fecha del Campeonato Nacional". Cooperativa.cl. 16 July 2010.
  20. "José Luis Sierra confirmó a Rainer Wirth en el pórtico de Unión para duelo con la U". Cooperativa.cl. 7 December 2010.
  21. "Unión Española sacó de su camino a A. Italiano y logró el tercer cupo chileno para Copa Libertadores". Cooperativa.cl. 19 December 2010.
  22. "Rainer Wirth: En la Libertadores queremos avanzar lo más posible". Cooperativa.cl. 31 December 2010.
  23. "Luis Marín se desvinculó de U. Española y fichó en O'Higgins para la temporada 2011". Cooperativa.cl. 31 December 2010.
  24. "U. Española alcanzó la fase de grupos de la Libertadores tras sufrido empate con Bolívar". Cooperativa.cl. 3 February 2011.
  25. "U. Española doblegó a S. Wanderers y sumó segundo triunfo consecutivo en el Apertura". Cooperativa.cl. 11 February 2011.
  26. "Eduardo Lobos fue presentado como nuevo meta de U. Española en la "Noche Hispana"". Cooperativa.cl. 20 January 2011.
  27. "Federico Elduayén custodiará el pórtico de Unión Española". Cooperativa.cl. 7 January 2011.
  28. "Doctor Roberto Yánez adelantó que Elduayen estará cerca de tres meses sin jugar". Cooperativa.cl. 21 January 2011.
  29. "Eduardo Lobos dejó el pórtico de Unión Española". Cooperativa.cl. 21 June 2011.
  30. "Rainer Wirth - Clausura Primera A 2011". Football-Lineups.
  31. "Presidente de U. Española piensa en armar el plantel para la Copa Libertadores 2012". Cooperativa.cl. 26 January 2012.
  32. "Rainer Wirth atajará en La Serena". Emol.com. 10 January 2012.
  33. "Rangers derrota a La Serena en su regreso a Primera". Terra Chile. 28 January 2012.
  34. "Universidad de Chile debutó con una clara victoria sobre La Serena". Cooperativa.cl. 4 February 2012.
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