1966 Copa Libertadores Finals

The 1966 Copa Libertadores Finals were the two-legged final that decided the winner of the 1966 Copa Libertadores, the 7th edition of the Copa Libertadores de América, South America's premier international club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL.

1966 Copa Libertadores Finals
Event1966 Copa Libertadores
2–2 on points
Peñarol won after a play-off
First leg
Date12 May 1966
VenueEstadio Centenario, Montevideo
RefereeRoberto Goicoechea (Argentina)
Attendance49,000
Second leg
Date18 May 1966
VenueEstadio Antonio V. Liberti, Buenos Aires
RefereeJosé M. Codesal (Uruguay)
Attendance60,000
Play-off
After extra time
Date20 May 1966 (1966-05-20)
VenueEstadio Nacional, Santiago
RefereeClaudio Vicuña (Chile)
Attendance39,000

The finals were contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Uruguayan team Peñarol and Argentine team Club Atlético River Plate. The first leg was hosted by Peñarol at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on 12 May 1966, while the second leg was hosted by River Plate at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on 18 May 1966.

After both teams won one match each, a third game was hosted at Estadio Nacional in Santiago de Chile on 20 May 1966. Peñarol beat River by 4–2 therefore winning their 3rd. Copa Libertadores title.[1]

Qualified teams

Team Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
Peñarol 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965
River Plate None

Stadiums

Estadio Centenario of Uruguay, Estadio Monumental of Buenos Aires and Estadio Nacional de Santiago were the venues for the three matches (first and second leg plus playoff, respectively) of the finals.

Match details

First leg

Peñarol 2–0 River Plate
Abadie  75'
Joya  85'
Attendance: 49,000
Referee: Goicoechea (Argentina)
Peñarol
River Plate
GK Ladislao Mazurkiewicz
DF Pablo Forlán
DF Juan Lezcano
DF Nelson Díaz
DF Omar Caetano
MF Néstor Gonçalves
MF Julio Abadie
FW Pedro Rocha
FW Héctor Silva
FW Julio César Cortés
FW Juan Joya
Manager:
Roque Máspoli
GK Amadeo Carrizo
DF Alberto Sainz
DF J. Carlos Guzmán
DF Roberto Matosas
DF Abel Vieytez
MF Juan Carlos Sarnari
MF Daniel Bayo
MF Miguel Loayza
FW Luis Cubilla
FW Daniel Onega
FW Jorge Solari
Substitutes:
MF Ermindo Onega
Manager:
Renato Cesarini

Second leg

River Plate 3–2 Peñarol
D. Onega  38'
E. Onega  73'
Sarnari  52'
Pedro Rocha  32'
Alberto Spencer  50'
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: José M. Codesal (Uruguay)
River Plate
Peñarol
GK1 Amadeo Carrizo
DF4 Alberto Sainz
DF2 J. Carlos Guzmán
DF6 Roberto Matosas
DF3 Abel Vieytez
MF8 Jorge Solari
MF5 Juan Carlos Sarnari
MF10 Ermindo Onega
FW7 Luis Cubilla
FW9 Daniel Onega
FW11 Jorge Solari
Substitutes:
Juan C. Lallana
Manager:
Renato Cesarini
GK1 Ladislao Mazurkiewicz
DF4 Pablo Forlán
DF2 Juan Lezcano
DF3 Nelson Díaz
DF6 Omar Caetano
MF5 Néstor Gonçalves
MF7 Julio Abadie
FW8 Pedro Rocha
FW9 Alberto Spencer
FW10 Julio César Cortés
FW11 Juan Joya
Manager:
Roque Máspoli

Playoff

Peñarol 4–2 (a.e.t.) River Plate
Spencer  67'  103'
Abbadie  72'
Rocha  109'
Report D. Onega  28'
Solari  42'
Attendance: 39,000
Referee: Claudio Vicuña (Chile)
Peñarol
River Plate
GK1 Ladislao Mazurkiewicz
DF4 Pablo Forlán
DF2 Juan Lezcano
DF3 Nelson Díaz
DF6 Omar Caetano
MF5 Néstor Gonçalves
MF7 Julio Abbadie
FW8 Julio César Cortés
FW9 Alberto Spencer
FW10 Pedro Rocha
FW11 Juan Joya
Substitutes:
DF Tabaré González
Manager:
Roque Máspoli
GK1 Amadeo Carrizo
DF4 Alberto Sainz
DF2 Grispo
DF Roberto Matosas
DF3 Abel Vieytez
MF Jorge Solari
MF Juan Carlos Sarnari
MF Ermindo Onega
FW7 Luis Cubilla
FW Daniel Onega
FW11 Oscar Mas
Substitutes:
FW Juan C. Lallana
Manager:
Renato Cesarini

Aftermath

Renato Cesarini (left) and president Antonio Liberti after the match. Liberti made Cesarini and goalkeeper Amadeo Carrizo responsibles for the defeat in the playoff

The defeat in the playoff v. Peñarol (by 4–2 after River won 2–0 at the end of the first half) was a quite a shock for River Plate. The team returned to Argentina to play the domestic league match v. Banfield. During the match, Banfield supporters threw a chicken (with its body painted a red sash) into the field to make fun of River Plate players.

Since that time, and up to present days, the nickname gallinas has remained to refer to River Plate when the team loses a match that could have won.[2]

Other versions refer to a lack of commitment of some River Plate players, stating that manager Renato Cesarini would have shout "I was betrayed" (by the players) after the match.[3]

When the second half began, we changed. River Plate was winning very easily. Because of that, we thought that we needed to change the match sorrounding rather strategic moves. We were desperate and therefore we drew from illicit resources, that's true. We even said them that in case they won, we would look for them to their changing room and hotel. It became a climate of war from which we took a great advantage, given the pasiveness of River players.

Peñarol player Néstor Gonçalves in an interview for El Gráfico, some years after the final [3]

At the end of the match, River Plate president Antonio Liberti blamed on Cesarini for the defeat, speaking directly to him: "I think this match was not won by Peñarol. (On the contrary), I think it was River that lost this match. In my opinion, the defeat began from the bench, with the substitutions made. The match was lost by Renato Cesarini". After listening to Liberti, Cesarini agreed with him.

Nevertheless, Liberti held goalkeeper Amadeo Carrizo responsible for the defeat with harsch words to refer to him. Liberti said: "the other responsible is that man, Carrizo... It's easy to mock the rival when conditions are favorable; but someone must know how to be brave in adverse conditions... this man was born well starred. He's the untouchable. I would like to know when he won a responsibility match in 20 years playing for the club... since he stopped that ball with his chest, the match changed... a serious players should not do silly things [note 1]. To be a man, other things are necessary..."[4]

Notes

  1. The exact word used by Liberti was "gansadas" (in Spanish)

References

  1. 1966 Copa Libertadores de América by José uis Pierrend, Pablo Ciullini, Karel Stokkermans and John Beuker on RSSSF.com
  2. La final de 1966 y el apodo de Gallina, otra derrota difícil de digerir para River on El Gráfico, 2017
  3. En 1966, Peñarol ganaba su tercera Copa y River, el apodo de "gallina", Pasión Fútbol, 20 May 2013
  4. Aquel pechito de Carrizo by Mariano Hamilton on Un Caño magazine
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