Jul 03 2008
LDU Quito Takes Copa Libertadores
As a mentioned earlier, I have not watched the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final yet, but it’s been impossible for me to miss the results. LDU Quito won a penalty shootout over Brazilian club Fluminense, which had evened the tie at five with a 3-1 victory in the second leg. LDU won the shootout 3-1 to claim their first Copa Libertadores.
LDU actually score the first goal of the contest, taking their aggregate lead to 5-2. Fluminense scored three goals over the rest of the match to force the penalty shootout. The challenge may have been somewhat surprising to the Brazilian side who had earlier said they considered overcoming their deficit a formality.
It was the first time an Ecuadorian club has ever won the title and only the third time a team from Ecuador’s league had made the final. In forty-nine competitions, teams from Brazil or Argentina had won thirty-four times. If you add Uruguay, clubs from other nations have only won five Copas. While the win was a first for Liga and Ecuador, it should make the last time an Ecuadorian side is underestimated.
It’s a bit of a shame that the Champions League and Euro 2008 have overshadowed Copa Libertadores. The amount of money being thrown around the European leagues has helped drain talent from South America, but the quality of football from the sure depth of talent in Brazil and Argentina keeps their league strong. The lack of exposure for the continent’s other leagues helps do the same there, while the crowds alone are enough to watch the matches.
The second leg of the Copa final was attended by 80,000 at Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
Links
Liga de Quito becomes Ecuador’s first Copa Libertadors winner
LDU celebrate another first for Ecuador
LDU make history to win Libertadores thriller
LDU beats Fluminese on PK’s to win Copa Lib