Sao Paulo (AFP)
Boca Juniors of Argentina reached the final of the South American Football Libertadores Cup, after defeating Brazilian Palmeiras 4-2 on penalties, after regular time ended in a 1-1 draw. The Argentine giant set a date with Brazilian Fluminense in the final.
Boca Juniors had opened the scoring through its veteran Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani (23), before Marcos Rojo was sent off in the 66th minute, which allowed Palmeiras to return and equalize the score, through Uruguayan Joaquín Pequeres (73).
The two teams resorted to penalty kicks, after the first leg ended in a goalless draw.
Sergio Romero, the former Argentine national team goalkeeper, said after his heroic performance, “I am 36 years old, and I am at the age where I like to have fun, and for me, penalty kicks are fun.”
Boca Juniors has the opportunity to win the title for the seventh time, and equal the record of its compatriot Independiente, while Fluminense is searching for its first continental title ever.
The Brazilian club qualified for the final by defeating its compatriot Internacional 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate), ensuring passage to the highly anticipated final, which will be held at the famous “Maracana” stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
It is noteworthy that the winner of the Libertadores Cup will represent the South American continent in the World Club Championship scheduled in Saudi Arabia next December.
Fluminense has previously reached the Libertadores final once in its history, and that was in 2008, when it lost to Liga Deportiva Universitaria of Ecuador on penalties.
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