2011 Copa Libertadores final

Overview

The Copa Libertadores final in 2011 featured two of the famous names from the early years of the competition. Brazilian side Santos won the Libertadores in 1962 and 1963 and Peñarol from Uruguay won the competition five times between 1960 and 1987 making them the third most successful side in the history of the competition despite the fact that 2011 is the first time they have even passed the quarter-final stage since they last won the competition 24 years previously.

Results

15-06-11
Peñarol	0-0	Santos
22-06-11
Santos	2-1	Peñarol
Winner: Santos

After a 0-0 draw in the first leg the Copa Libertadores final went down to the final game at the Estádio do Pacaembu in São Paulo, making the Brazilian side strong favourites to win the title given the fact that Peñarol had not won any of their four previous games. Brazilian teenage sensation Neymar scored the first goal of the final two minutes into the second half and Danilo extended the lead in the 69th minute. Peñarol pulled a goal back with ten minutes left through a Dorival goal however they couldn't prevent the Santos from winning their third Copa Libertadores title and their first since they won the tournament back-to-back in 1962 & 1963. The celebrations were spoiled after a mass brawl where the Peñarol players faced up to the Santos players, coaching staff and a number of Santos fans who had invaded the pitch.

For more South American football highlights, including the Argentine & Brazilian leagues, the pick of the rest and other international tournaments:

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Copa Libertadores semi-finals

Overview

The semi-final line-ups for the 2011 Copa Libertadores are intriguing. The Brazilian side Santos inspired by teenage sensation Neymar are the only ones of the four to have played in a Libertadores semi-final since the turn of the millenium. Their opponents Cerro Porteño are the only ones never to have won the tournament before having been eliminated in each of their five previous Libertadores semis. Cerro's domestic form has been dismal, they are in the bottom half of the table having only won 1 of their previous 12 league games however their Libertadores form has been great having eliminated the tournament's most entertaining team Colo-Colo in the group stages, then Argentine champions Estudiantes and the Mexican side Jaguares in the knocknock-outges.

The other two semi-finalists are both making their first appearances at this stage since they last won it. Uruguayan side Peñarol last played a Libertadores semi-final back in 1987 when they beat the Argentine sides River Plate and Independiente in a semi-final group stage before famously inflicting the third consecutive Libertadores final defeat on América de Cali (the Jimmy White's of South American football) to win their fifth title. Vélez won their only previous Libertadores semi-final on their way to claim the 1994 championship.

Results

25-05-11
Santos	1-0	Cerro Porteño
01-06-11
Cerro Porteño	3-3	Santos
Winner: Santos

Santos won their home leg 1-0 after a typical bit of class from Neymar to set up Edu Dracena with a virtually unmissable chance. Cerro were not too disappointed with a narrow defeat in Brazil and fancied their chances in the second leg however they suffered their sixth Copa Libertadores semi-final elimination after a 3-3 draw. Cerro gave themselves a mountain to climb after conceding two goals in the opening half hour. Cesár Benítez pulled one back but Neymar re-established the three goal aggregate lead for Santos with a goal in first half stoppage time. Cerro fought back in the second half with goals from Juan Manuel Lucero and Jonathan Fabbro but it was not enough to prevent Santos reaching their first Copa Libertadores final since 2003.

26-05-11
Peñarol	1-0	Vélez Sársfield
02-06-11
Vélez Sársfield	2-1	Peñarol
Winner: Peñarol

Darío Rodríguez scored the only goal of the game to give Peñarol a 1-0 win against Vélez Sársfield in the first leg of their semi-final. Vélez won the second leg 2-1 but the Uruguayans went through courtesy of the away goals rule however things could have been different had Santiago Silva not spooned his penalty over the bar with 15 minutes to go.

Highlights: 2011 Copa Libertadores Group stages.

There are 8 groups in the second round of the 2011 Copa Libertadores.

• To see the latest posts from the 2011 Copa Libertadores click here.
• To see highlights from specific groups follow the links below.

• Group 1 (Libertad, Once Caldas, San Luis, Universidad San Martín)
• Group 2 (Grêmio, Junior, León, Oriente Petrolero)
• Group 3 (Argentinos Juniors, Club América, Fluminense, Nacional)
• Group 4 (Caracas FC, Unión Española, Universidad Cátolica, Vélez Sársfield)
• Group 5 (Cerro Porteño, Colo-Colo, Deportivo Táchira, Santos)
• Group 6 (Emelec, Internacional, Jaguares, Jorge Wilstermann)
• Group 7 (Cruzeiro, Deportes Tolima, Estudiantes, Guaraní)
• Group 8 (Godoy Cruz, Independiente, LDU Quito, Peñarol)

Highlights: 2011 Copa Libertadores - qualification phase

Copa Libertadores 2011 kicked off on 25 January with a 2-0 win for Copa Sudamericana 2010 champions Independiente against Deportivo Quito of Ecuador. Matías Defederico who made his return to Argentina after an unsuccessful stint with brazilian side Corinthians scored on his competitive debut to make it 1-0 and Patricio Rodríguez bagged another to give the Argentine side a healthy 2-0 advantage going into the return leg which they lost 1-0 earning them a place in group 8 with Peñarol, LDU Quito and Libertadores debutants Godoy Cruz.

Jaguares of Mexico comfortably won both legs of their qualification playoff against Peruvian side Alianza Lima by 2-0 on both occasions. They will join holders Internacional, Emelec and Jorge Wilstermann in group 6.

Ronaldo's Corinthians team crashed out against Colombian side Deportes Tolima. Having drawn their home tie 0-0 the Brazilians lost their return leg in Colombia 2-0. However Brazilian Libertadores heavyweights Grêmio claimed their place in the group stages by beating Uruguayan minnows Liverpool de Montevideo 3-1 in a rocking Estadio Olimpico after a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Montevideo last week.


Chilean side Unión Española earned a creditable 0-1 away win against Bolivian side Bolívar in the high altitude city of La Paz and ensured progress to the group stage with a 0-0 draw. Paraguayan side Cerro Porteño who got the pick of the draw against Deportivo Petare of Venezuela, but they could only manage a 1-0 home win in theie home leg setting up a tense second leg back in Caracas, but they made it through thanks to a goal from Roberto Nanni.

25-01-11
Independiente (Arg)	2-0	Deportivo Quito (Ecu)
01-02-11
Deportivo Quito (Ecu)	1-0	Independiente (Arg)
Winner: Independiente

26-01-11
Alianza Lima (Per)	0-2	Jaguares (Mex)
01-02-11
Jaguares (Mex)	2-0	Alianza Lima (Per)
Winner: Jaguares

26-01-11
Corinthians (Bra)	0-0	Deportes Tolima (Col)
02-02-11
Deportes Tolima (Col)	2-0	Corinthians (Bra)
Winner: Deportes Tolima

26-01-11
Liverpool (Uru)	2-2	Grêmio (Bra)
02-02-11
Grêmio (Bra)	3-1	Liverpool (Uru)
Winner: Grêmio

27-01-11
Cerro Porteño (Par)	1-0	Deportivo Petare (Ven)
03-02-11
Deportivo Petare (Ven)	1-1	Cerro Porteño (Par)
Winner: ?

27-01-11
Bolívar (Bol)	0-1	Unión Española (Chi)
03-02-11
Unión Española (Chi)	0-0	Bolívar (Bol)
Winner: Unión Española

For more South American football highlights, including the Argentine & Brazilian leagues, the pick of the rest and other international tournaments:

click here