With a 2-1 extra-time victory over Boca Juniors, led by former Napoli player Edinson Cavani, Brazilian team Fluminense won the Copa Libertadores, the top South American club football competition, for the first time.
The hero of the match was 21-year-old John Kennedy, sent on by coach Fernando Diniz (who is also the interim coach of the Seleçao) in the 34th minute of the second half, with the score at 1-1, and booked just nine minutes after coming on. Then, however, in the first half of extra time, he scored the decisive goal, after which he was sent off for a second booking.
Previously, Fluminense had taken the lead in the 39th minute of the first half with a goal from their Argentine striker Cano, the top scorer in the Libertadores, and Boca had equalized in the 26th minute of the second half with Peruvian Advincula. In the 8th minute of the first extra time, John Kennedy scored the decisive goal.
This boy from the state of Minas has scored in all the knockout rounds of this Libertadores: in the eighth-finals against Argentinos Juniors, in the quarter-finals against Olimpia de Asunción and in the semifinals against Internacional de Porto Alegre. With Fluminese's success, it is the fifth consecutive year that a Brazilian team wins the Libertadores and the 'tricolor' carioca succeeds another team from Rio, Flamengo, in the roll of honor.
Former Juve and Fiorentina player Felipe Melo won the Libertadores for the third time in the last five years (he had already done so twice with Palmeiras) while former Real Madrid player Marcelo added the title of South American club champion to the 25 trophies won with the 'merengues'.
Article published on November 5, 2023 - 08:52
