River Plate took the historic final of the Copa Libertadores thanks to the goal of Juan Fernando Quintero in extra time. Marcelo Gallardo’s team takes the title after tracing Darío Benedetto’s initial goal in the first half. Lucas Pratto tied the game in the second half to force overtime and Wilmar Barrios was sent off. The ‘Pity’ Martinez sentenced and put the final 3-1 at the last breath.
The one who started hitting first was Boca Juniors, who materialized his superiority in the first act with a beautiful bill from Darío Benedetto in the final stretch of the first half.
The ‘Xeneize’ team launched a perfect counterattack in which Nahitan Nández filtered an exceptional pass for ‘Pipa’ Benedetto which dribbled perfect Maidana and then defined luxury against Franco Armani.
The fans of River Plate sank in absolute despair but his team reacted in the second act and his team got the equalized midway through the second half.
As he did in the first leg, Lucas Pratto emerged as a hero of the millionaire team by scoring the equalizer thanks to a pass from Ignacio Fernández after a great collective play.
With the goal, the team of Marcelo Gallardo grew in the game and became owner of the final, enjoying the final stretch of the best opportunities, but neither River nor Boca could prevent the final went to extra time.
In the extra time, Boca saw at once how the historic final complicated him a lot when Wilmar Barrios made a very hard tackle in midfield and was sent off, leaving the Schelotto team with one player less for the remainder of overtime .
Although he was with one more player, River was not able to materialize his chances and went to the rest of the extra time with the same result. But they did not have to wait for the fans of the millionaire table to celebrate a goal.
It had to be the Colombian Juan Fernando Quintero the one that returned to shine his star in the important parties so that with a so spectacular from the front the historical and eternal duel in favor of River Plate undone.
The last minutes were a frantic pace with Andrada climbing to finish off a corner kick eight minutes from the end, a shot at the post of Boca in the 120 and the goal of Gonzalo ‘Pity’ Martínez in the last breath to give the historic title to River Plate.