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Liga beats Fluminense on PK's to win Copa Lib
Associated Press
Copa Lib 2nd Leg Final
Cevallos stopped shots from Argentine midfielder Dario Conca, playmaker Thiago Neves and striker Washington.
"This was my last opportunity, I'm 27 years old, I knew this was my last opportunity," Cevallos said. "We know we achieved something historic in international football."
Patricio Urrutia, Franklin Salas and Joffre Guerron netted for Liga, while Cicero claimed Fluminense's lone goal. Jairo Campos missed the only penalty for the Ecuadoreans.
"It's hard to explain this loss," Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho said. "We had our best players in the shootout, but unfortunately it was not a good night for them."
With the victory, Liga also earns a spot in FIFA's Club World Cup held later this year.
"This is an incredible victory for us," Liga de Quito coach Edgardo Bauza said. "A historic title for Liga and Ecuador. It means a lot to us."
Fluminense was boosted by nearly 80,000 fans in the first Copa Libertadores final at Maracana, but the 2,000 or so Liga fans celebrated first after an early goal that put the Brazilian club in an even deeper hole.
Striker Luis Bolanos opened the scoring just six minutes into the match with a right-footed shot from near the penalty spot. Forward Guerron started the play on the right flank, dribbling past a defender and sending a low cross across the area to the unmarked Bolanos.
Fluminense quickly equalized when Neves cleared a defender before firing a left-footer from about 25 meters (yards) in the 11th minute. His well-placed shot found the lower-right corner to beat Cevallos.
Ordinal out of range
And it was Neves again who put Fluminense ahead in the 28th, completing a left-flank cross from midfielder Cicero with a close-range shot that caught the Liga defense by surprise.
Neves, one of Brazil's most-promising stars, added his third goal with a well-struck free kick in the 57th, curling a left-footed shot around over the wall.
"Our players were very tough today," Bauza said. "They kept it together even after going down 3-1, that was very hard to do, but they showed their strength."
The result gave Ecuador its first continental title. Liga rival Barcelona SC twice reached the final, losing to Paraguay's Olimpia in 1990 and Brazil's Vasco da Gama in 1998.
Fluminense had won all six matches at the famed stadium in this year's Copa Libertadores - four of them by two or more goals. The Brazilian club was trying to become the first team to erase a two-goal deficit in the final since Colombia's Atletico Nacional defeated Paraguay's Olimpia after a 2-0 first-leg loss in 1989.
"Our team played better and deserved a better result," Fluminense defender Thiago Silva said. "We are sad with the loss, but the team needs to be congratulated. We did what we could."
Both teams wasted opportunities in a lackluster extra time
"We deserved the title," Liga midfielder Enrique Vera said. "We came here to fight for a positive result and we got it, just like we wanted."
Fluminense was hoping to become the ninth Brazilian club to win the Latin American competition, along with Palmeiras, Sao Paulo, Santos, Flamengo, Vasco, Internacional, Gremio and Cruzeiro, which have 13 titles together.
Member Comments
Wow, the picture of that Brasile?a sure is nice.<br /><br />Got to love Brazilian women. And Latin women, in general.
1/27/2009 22:17:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
LIGA CAMPEON LIBERTADORES<br />LIGA CAMPEON SUDAMERICANA Y<br />LIGA CAMPEON INTERCONTINENTAL !!!!!!!!!!! :)
BIZ087/17/2008 11:17:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
L I G A C A M P E O N !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />CEVALLOS....... PRESIDENTE !!!!!!!!!!
BIZ087/17/2008 11:15:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
La L I G A de mis amores, nos dio la felicidad mas grande que un equipo puede dar a un pais ! LIGA eres lo maximo !!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />P.D. Liga hizo lo que boca no pudo hacer !!!
BIZ087/17/2008 11:10:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
MARADONA<br /><br />you have nothing to worry about Argentina will be in S AFRICA, trust me....
BRAZZ7/13/2008 18:23:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
It's like saying..."i don't know if Brasil will make it to the world cup"......<br /><br />...come on...Brasil always goes to the world cup. Wake up man......
Xeneize7/11/2008 20:24:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
MARADONA<br /><br />hmmmmmmmm...nah........<br /><br />Go talk like that in new york ave. Go ahead...They are waiting for you...<br /><br />23rd in union city? I'm not down that way. I'm in another state now.<br />If not i would surely be up to the challenge.....class act...hahhaha<br /><br />What u mean.."idon't know if Argentina will make it to the world cup" wow<br /><br />Argentina always goes to the world cup...what in the god's sake are you dreaming about? hahahahaha
Xeneize7/11/2008 20:23:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
barcelona need to keep ronaldinho, deco and saviola...needs to bring new blood like kaka, diego, alves and need to get rid off giovanni de los santos, rafa marquez, henry, eto'o, milito, silvinho, zambrota, frank rijard these people called players need to go to the mexican tournament asap!!! thr place where they belong!
maradona7/11/2008 17:33:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
xeneize i wanna see if ur feet are where your mouth is...you and brazz why don't u come to 23 street and west side highway...you play against my team...no excuses!
maradona7/11/2008 11:09:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
xeneize i am not sure if the gals at new york ave in jersey know how to play futbol...i have see any of you in tournaments...mention one at least...and please don't mention your local high school team that does not count..you from jerseyc ity new york ave ...gimme a break
maradona7/11/2008 11:06:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
brazz i dont know if argentina will make it ...cruz is a horrible player ...also #10 is missing once again
maradona7/11/2008 11:04:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
brazz i tell you why brazil may qualify cause the team has robinho, kaka and diego..the rest a fat and slow...ronaldinho is the exception...but dunga got to go...zico is needed asap!
maradona7/11/2008 11:02:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
dude xeneize so u r from new york ave...whata piece of work u are...really classy...
maradona7/11/2008 10:58:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Nobody is getting mad my brotha, I'm also expressing my opinion, about you and what a class act you are. <br /><br />It's just another man's opinion
Guaya7/11/2008 8:48:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
It's funny how some individuals get mad at another rman's opinion on women.<br />Funny indeed..and kinda fruity too.<br /><br />Yea trolls man...what's not classy about that..or what is classy about that........
Xeneize7/11/2008 6:15:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Trolls? you are one classy individual. First class all the way buddy
Guaya7/10/2008 19:58:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
And MARADONA....<br /><br />Diego Armando Maradona played for Boca.....
Xeneize7/10/2008 19:14:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
MARADONA<br /><br />Nah man..i'm not upset because Boca did'nt win Libertadores..my man you are acting as if Boca never wins a Libertadores. That tournament belongs to Boca until further notice. It's fine if they did'nt win this year. So futbol is futbol...you win some and you lose some..even the best lose.<br />Get that idea out ya head man. Boca lost..well there's always a next time. Those ecuadorian chicks don't upset me. HAHA!!<br /><br />They make me say yucky? yes. Give me Brasilian women. Puerto rican women. Argentinian women.<br />So much to chose from..ecua chicks are not my type or taste..nothing wrong with that. <br /><br />So you know abot kennedy blvd eh?? i'm from jersey city, NJ. New York Av.<br /><br />Ask around in JC.....They know who i am there..they know me and my fam there.....<br /><br />You in miami eh?? i lived in miami..i will take anything beside an ecua chick man. You act like all the chicks in miami are from there. <br /><br />Guys there's a world of beautiful women in FL..specially in maimi...and they are nbot ecua.
Xeneize7/10/2008 19:09:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
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