Valley Independent He already has his ‘Maracanazo’. The Ecuadorian team won its first South American Cup Winners’ Cup after beating a Flamengo in the penalty shootout (4-5) that had its hero and villain in the Uruguayan Giorgian de Arrascaeta.
Argentine Martín Anselmi’s team resisted the onslaught of ‘Fla’ in Maracana, although a goal from De Arrascaeta in the last minute of discount neutralized the 1-0 win in the first leg, in Quito, and took the final to extra time and, then to penalties.
It was then that goalkeeper Moisés Ramírez emerged, who had already been the best during the game, to stop the Uruguayan midfielder from the only penalty Flamengo missed. Independiente Del Valle scored all five and was proclaimed champion.
Vítor Pereira’s team deserved more, but Ramírez’s performance and the lack of inspiration from the attack line frustrated any comeback attempt. It is the third title that the Portuguese coach has missed since he took over the red and black bench in December 2022. He lost the Brazilian Super Cup to Palmeiras and disappointed in the FIFA Club World Cup, where he was eliminated in the semifinals by Saudi Al Hilal.
Independiente del Valle, for its part, adds its first South American Cup Winners’ Cup and consummates its revenge against Flamengo, which it could not prevail in the 2020 edition.
The match was total dominance for the Libertadores champion. Despite the heavy rain, Everton Ribeiro and De Arrascaeta made the local team work. But there was Ramírez, a colossus. The Ecuadorian goalkeeper stopped everything that came to him and also allied himself with the sticks of his goal.
Twice the ‘Fla’ crashed into the wood, practically in the same minute. First, Thiago Maia, after a free kick taken by De Arrascaeta; and later, Ayrton Lucas, in a header to the center of Everton Ribeiro. Ramírez appeared again to make his own futsal save to a low shot from Varela. The South American champion breathed a sigh of relief and forgot about the attack.
The only time he appeared in the rival area was in the launch of a long free kick charged by Alcívar. The rest of the time, he crouched behind, narrowing spaces and enduring the flamenco downpour.
The best help could have come from his rival, with Arturo Vidal risking his sending off before the break. The Chilean almost served them the title on a platter in a snag with Carabajal, whom he tried to lift from the ground by force and grabbed him by the neck.
The VAR did not rule and it stayed in a yellow card for both. At the restart, Flamengo deflated. The momentum of the first part disappeared and panic began to spread.
Arturo Vidal (Flamengo) could have been sent off before the break
De Arrascaeta and Everton Ribeiro continued to lead the red and black ship, but mobility was no longer the same. In 20 minutes, Flamengo only finished once. Maracana was beginning to get impatient. It was difficult for Pereira to introduce the first changes. The first chosen were Gerson and Everton ‘Cebolinha’.
Finally it was De Arrascaeta, in the 96th minute, who kept Flamengo alive after finishing an Everton Cebolinha cross. Maracana collapsed. The Uruguayan hadn’t scored since October last year with the ‘Fla’ shirt.
In extra time, the dominance of the locals continued. But the physical exhaustion took its toll and the final went to penalties, where De Arrascaeta dressed as a villain by missing the first and opened the doors of glory to Independiente del Valle.
DATA SHEET
1 -Flamingo: Saints; Varela (m.82 Matheuzinho), Fabrício Bruno, David Luiz, Ayrton Lucas (m.112 Marinho); Thiago Maia (m.72 Everton), Arturo Vidal (m.72 Gerson), Éverton Ribeiro (m.81 Matheus Gonçalves), Giorgian de Arrascaeta; Gabriel Barbosa and Pedro (d.112 Mateusao)
Coach: Vitor Pereira
0 -Valley Independent: Moises Ramirez; Mateo Carabajal, Richard Schunke, Agustin Garcia; Matías Fernández (m.92 Mercado), Cristian Pellerano (m.99 Previtali), Lorenzo Faravelli, Beder Caicedo (m.99 Cortez); Alcívar (m.62 Kevin Rodríguez); Júnior Sornoza (m.72 Holes) and Lautaro Díaz (m.72 Landázuri)
Coach: Martin Anselmi
Goal: 1-0, De Arrascaeta (d. 96)
Referee: the Uruguayan Andrés Matonte. He admonished Pellerano, Everton Ribeiro, Vidal, Maia, Carabajal, Alcívar, Varela, David Luiz, Faravelli and Ramírez
Incidents: second leg of the South American Cup Winners’ Cup final, played at the Maracana stadium, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, before 71,411 spectators
