Argentine tears at the Maracana, Fluminense with great success in the Copa Libertadores

A triumph of real football. This is how the final clash in the Copa Libertadores tournament can be described, which ended 2:1 for Fluminense after extra time against Boca Juniors at the mythical Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

The football players of both teams left everything on the field, there were tears in their eyes as well as in those of the fans in the stands, and the emotions were simply extraordinary. The two teams, representatives of two of the most footballing nations in the world, played like the last, but unfortunately only one of them could be called the winner in the end. And accordingly the winner of the biggest honor in club football in South America.

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For Fluminense, this is a new page in the club’s history – the first international title. Boca did not manage to win the seventh trophy in the Libertadores and the first since 2007.

From the very beginning, both teams fought with all their might, but there seemed to be little prospect of a goal.

That changed in the 36th minute of the match, when the legendary team from Buenos Aires had to suffer a blow from an Argentinian football player. Veteran Herman Cano, who has played in Brazil in recent years, first for Vasco da Gama and now for Flu, silenced his compatriots in the stands with a perfect goal, leaving no chance for Romero to make it 1-0.

The second half began with an injury to old dog Felipe Melo, who had to leave the field and be substituted. And as he left the field, he did not hide his disappointment, tears streaming down his face.

The 40-year-old Melo wasn’t the only veteran on the field familiar from his European years. For Flu, Marcelo was also in the game, with Fabio in goal, at 43, while Edinson Cavani led the attack for the Argentinians.

As time progressed, the tension grew, the entries became stronger, and around the 60th minute, one of the most curious situations of the match took place. The Brazilians were attacking and Fluminense and Boca players were literally rolling around on the grass fighting, but it didn’t stop the game in any way and they were simply passed.

Hope for the Argentines revived in the 72nd minute. Right-back Luis Advincula beautifully leveled a long-range shot and suddenly Boca felt as if they were at home with even more powerful support from the crowd – 1:1. The regular 90 minutes ended like this, and the drama was yet to come.

John Kennedy, who came on just before the final whistle, sent the Fluminense fans into ecstasy with a goal to make it 2:1. And he went into mad jubilation along with the supporters, only to… receive a second yellow card and be sent off barely ten minutes after his first caution.

Boca didn’t capitalize brilliantly on their man advantage anymore. On the contrary, it was also left with ten after Frank Fabra received a straight red card at the end of the first overtime after slapping an opposing player.

The Argentinians attacked as if it was the last time, and Guga missed the point when, in the 113th minute, he slid the ball past Romero and could see it going into the net, but it actually hit the post.