2008 Copa Libertadores Finals

The 2008 Copa Libertadores Finals was a two-legged football match-up to determine the 2008 Copa Libertadores champion. The series was contested between Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito from Quito, Ecuador, and Fluminense Football Club from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, both of whom were playing in their first finals. The first leg was played at LDU Quito's home field, La Casa Blanca in Quito, Ecuador on 25 June 2008; the second leg was played at Fluminense's home field, Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 2 July 2008. LDU Quito won the final on penalties 31, after each team won a game apiece, and equalized on goal difference after the end of extra-time of the second leg.

2008 Copa Libertadores Finals
Event2008 Copa Santander Libertadores de América
on aggregate
LDU Quito won 31 on penalties
First leg
Date25 June 2008
VenueEstadio Casa Blanca, Quito
RefereeCarlos Chandía
Attendance62,262
Second leg
After extra time
Date2 July 2008
VenueEstádio Mario Filho (Maracanã), Rio de Janeiro
Man of the MatchJosé Francisco Cevallos
RefereeHéctor Baldassi
Attendance86,027

Qualified teams

Team Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
LDU Quito None
Fluminense None

Finals rules

Like other match-ups in the knockout round, the teams will play two games, one at each team's home stadium. As the highest seeded team determined at the beginning of the knockout stage, Fluminense had home-field advantage for the second leg. Unlike other Copa Libertadores match-ups in the knockout round, the away goals rule is not used. If the teams remained tied after 90 minutes of play during the 2nd leg, extra time will be used, followed by a penalty shootout if necessary.

Route to the finals

Group 8 of the Second Stage

Final Group 8 standings
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Fluminense 6411113+813
LDU Quito 6312105+510
Arsenal 6303614−89
Libertad 6105510−53

Fluminense and LDU Quito both started in the Second Stage and were drawn into Group 8 along with Arsenal of Argentina and Libertad of Paraguay. Their first match was against each other in La Casa Blanca in Quito. The game ended in a goal-less draw.

LDU Quito then hosted Libertad on March 4. Patricio Urrutia and Joffre Guerrón scored for LDU Quito to give them a 20 win. They then visited Arsenal in Buenos Aires on March 12. Patricio Urrutia scored the loan goal of the game. The roles were reversed as LDU Quito hosted Arsenal on March 26. Liga walloped Arsenal 61 with goals by Patricio Urrutia, Damián Manso, Luis Bolaños (2), Claudio Bieler, and Alfonso Obregón; Luciano Leguizamón scored for Arsenal. On April 8, Liga travelled to Asuncion to play Libertad, where they lost 31. Alfonso Obregón scored the lone goal for Liga.

After the first game against Liga, Fluminense hosted Arsenal on March 5. The drubbing ended 60 in favor of Flu. Thiago Neves, Dodô (2), Gabriel, Washington, and Cícero provided the scores. Flu then travelled to Asuncion to face Libertad on March 19. Washington scored twice to give Flu a 21 win. Flu then played host for Libertad in a game that ended in a 20 win for Fluminense. Cícero and Thiago Silva provided the scores. Fluminense then travelled to Buenos Aires to play Arsenal on April 8. They were beat 20.

The last match of group play for LDU Quito and Fluminense was against each other on April 17. Cícero scored the only goal of the game to give Fluminense a 10 win. The win gave Fluminense the group. Fluminense and LDU Quito finished 1 & 2 with 13 and 10 points, respectively, and each advanced to the Round of 16 as the 1st and 11th seed.

Fluminense in the knockout stage

Fluminense was seeded 1 for the knockout stage, guaranteeing home field advantage for the second leg of any series. In the round of 16, they faced Atlético Nacional of Colombia, whom they defeated on aggregate 3-1 (2-1 & 1-0). In the quarter-finals, they faced fellow Brazilian side São Paulo. They won on aggregate 3-2 (0-1 & 3-1). In the semi-finals, they face defending Copa Libertadores champions Boca Juniors. After tying 2-2 on the first leg, they won 3-1 in the second leg to advance to their first Copa Libertadores finals.

LDU Quito in the knockout stage

LDU Quito was seeded 12 for the knockout stage. In the Round of 16, they faced Estudiantes, whom they beat on aggregate 3-2 (2-0 & 1-2) to advance. They faced another Argentine team, San Lorenzo in the quarter-finals. After tying 1-1 in both legs, the teams went into penalties, where LDU Quito triumphed 5-3. In the semi-finals, they faced Club América of Mexico. They tied both legs 1-1 in Mexico City and 0-0 in Quito. Since LDU Quito scored an away goal, they won the series and advanced to their first Copa Libertadores finals.


FluminenseLDU Quito
Atlético Nacional
A
2–1
Thiago Neves 22'
Conca 76'
Round of 16
First leg
Estudiantes
H
2–0
Guerrón 64'
Manso 78'
Atlético Nacional
H
1–0
Roger 52'Second leg Estudiantes
A
1–2
Bolaños 26'
São Paulo
A
0–1
Quarterfinals
First leg
San Lorenzo
A
1–1
Bieler 35'
São Paulo
H
3–1
Washington 11', 90+1'
Dodô 71'
Second leg San Lorenzo
H
1–1
(p. 5–3)
Manso 26'
Boca Juniors
A
2–2
Thiago Silva 16'
Thiago Neves 76'
Semifinals
First leg
América
A
1–1
Bolaños 62'
Boca Juniors
H
3–1
Washington 63'
Ibarra 71' (o.g.)
Dodô 90+3'
Second leg América
H
0–0

Finals summary

First leg

The First Leg was played in front of a capacity crowd at Estadio Casa Blanca in Quito. Claudio Bieler of LDU Quito scored first in the 2nd minute, but Fluminense answered back with a goal by Darío Conca in the 12th minute. LDU Quito scored three unanswered goals by the end of the half with goals by Joffre Guerrón (29'), Jairo Campos (34'), and Patricio Urrutia (45'). Thiago Neves scored again for Fluminense with the only goal of the second half at the 52nd minute. The final score left LDU Quito with a 2-goal advantage going into the next leg.

LDU Quito 42 Fluminense
Bieler  2'
Guerrón  29'
Campos  34'
Urrutia  45'
Report Conca  12'
Thiago Neves  52'
Attendance: 55,359
LDU Quito
Fluminense
LDU QUITO:
GK1 José Francisco Cevallos
DF3 Renán Calle
DF2 Norberto Araujo 61'
DF23 Jairo Campos
FW19 Joffre Guerrón
MF20 Enrique Vera 22'
MF8 Patricio Urrutia (c) 88'
DF4 Paúl Ambrosi
MF7 Luis Bolaños
MF21 Damián Manso 74'
FW16 Claudio Bieler 41' 82'
Substitutes:
GK25 Daniel Viteri
FW9 Agustín Delgado 82'
MF5 Alfonso Obregón
MF14 Diego Calderón
FW11 Franklin Salas
MF15 William Araujo 74'
MF22 Edder Vaca
Manager:
Edgardo Bauza
FLUMINENSE:
GK1 Fernando Henrique
DF2 Gabriel
DF3 Thiago Silva
DF4 Luiz Alberto (c) 28'
DF6 Júnior César
MF5 Ygor 43'
MF8 Arouca 67'
MF17 Cícero
MF18 Darío Conca
MF10 Thiago Neves 90'
FW9 Washington 68' 72'
Substitutes:
GK12 Diego
DF13 Roger 90'
FW11 Dodô 72'
MF14 Fabinho
MF15 Maurício 67'
FW23 Alan
FW24 Tartá
Manager:
Renato Portaluppi

Assistant referees:
Cristian Julio
Lorenzo Acuña
Fourth official:
Enrique Osses

Second leg

The Second Leg was played in front of a capacity crowd at the legendary Maracanã in a game that would crown the South American champions. Luis Bolaños of LDU Quito scored first in the 6th minute to put LDU Quito up 10 in the game, and a three-goal advantage. Fluminense answered back with a hat-trick by Thiago Neves who scored goals in the 12th, 28th, and 56th minute. The score at the end of regulation was 31, leaving both teams equal on goal difference; extra-time was needed. After a scoreless extra-time, the game went on to a penalty shootout. LDU Quito goalkeeper José Francisco Cevallos blocked three of four penalty kicks, while his teammates put in three of four to give LDU Quito the win, and their first Copa Libertadores title.

Fluminense
LDU Quito
FLUMINENSE:
GK1 Fernando Henrique
DF2 Gabriel 105'
DF3 Thiago Silva 106'
DF4 Luiz Alberto (c) 65'  120'
DF6 Júnior César
MF5 Ygor 46'
MF8 Arouca 110'
MF17 Cícero 87'
MF18 Darío Conca
MF10 Thiago Neves
FW9 Washington
Substitutes:
GK22 Ricardo Berna
FW7 Somália
FW11 Dodô 46'
DF13 Roger 110'
MF14 Fabinho
MF15 Maurício 105'
FW24 Tartá
Manager:
Renato Gaúcho
LDU QUITO:
GK1 José Francisco Cevallos 118'
DF23 Jairo Campos
DF3 Renán Calle
DF2 Norberto Araujo
DF4 Paúl Ambrosi
FW19 Joffre Guerrón 120'
MF20 Enrique Vera 62'
MF8 Patricio Urrutia (c)
MF7 Luis Bolaños 105'
MF21 Damián Manso 88'
FW16 Claudio Bieler 31'
Substitutes:
GK25 Daniel Viteri
MF14 Diego Calderón
MF5 Alfonso Obregón
FW9 Agustín Delgado
DF18 Byron Camacho
MF15 William Araujo 88'
FW11 Franklin Salas 105'
Manager:
Edgardo Bauza

Man of the Match:
José Francisco Cevallos

Assistant referees:
Ricardo Casas
Hernán Maidana
Fourth official:
Saúl Laverni

Aftermath

Prior to the matches, Fluminense was favored to win since they had eliminated the defending champion (Boca Juniors) in the semifinals, and defeated LDU Quito in an earlier encounter at Maracanã. Following the surprise loss in Quito, pressure was on Fluminense to win at home. When LDU Quito sealed the deal at Maracanã, the media dubbed the match a "Maracanazo", a slang term in Latin American football given to a game at Maracanã where the underdog team upsets the hosts. As the hosts were expected to win, that the celebratory confetti for the award presentation was in Fluminense's color.

LDU Quito had won their first Copa Libertadores title, becoming the first Ecuadorian team to do so. The title is also the first international title ever won by a team from Ecuador. LDU Quito captain Patricio Urrutia was named player of the finals, and Joffre Guerrón was named player of the tournament. By winning the tournament, LDU Quito won the right to represent South American in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup, for which they qualify directly to the semi-finals. LDU Quito winning the Copa Libertadores was called historic by major newspapers that followed the competition, and won praise throughout the continent.

Throughout the tournament, the team and its player gained wide support from across Ecuador, not just by their typical fan-base in Quito. Following the win, they were publicly applauded by every sector of Ecuadorian society and government, and were treated as heroes upon their return to the country.

Currently, this year's finals hold or shares two Copa Libertadores Finals records: most goals in a single game (6) for Game 1; most goals in two legs (10).

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