1976 Copa Libertadores finals explained

1976 Copa Libertadores finals
Event:1976 Copa Libertadores
Team1:Cruzeiro
Team1association:
Team2:River Plate
Team2association:
Details:2–2 on points
Cruzeiro won after a play-off
Firstleg:First leg
Team1score1:4
Team2score1:1
Date1:21 July 1976
Stadium1:Mineirão
City1:Belo Horizonte
Referee1:Vicente Llobregat (Venezuela)
Secondleg:Second leg
Team1score2:1
Team2score2:2
Date2:28 July 1976
Stadium2:Estadio Monumental
City2:Buenos Aires
Referee2:José Martínez Bazán (Uruguay)
Secondlegreplay:Play-off
Team1score3:3
Team2score3:2
Stadium3:Estadio Nacional
City3:Santiago
Referee3:Alberto Martínez (Chile)
Attendance3:35,182
Previous:1975
Next:1977

The 1976 Copa Libertadores finals was the final two-legged tie to determine the 1976 Copa Libertadores champion. It was contested by Argentine club River Plate and Brazilian club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. The first leg of the tie was played on 21 July at Cruzeiro' home field, with the second leg played on 28 July at River'. Cruzeiro and Boca Juniors played in their 1st Copa Libertadores finals.[1]

Cruzeiro won the series after winning a tie-breaking playoff 3–2 at Santiago's Estadio Nacional, with the winning goal by Joaozinho being scored by the end of the match.[2]

Qualified teams

TeamPrevious finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
CruzeiroNone
River Plate1966

Rules

The finals were played over two legs; home and away. The team that accumulated the most points —two for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss— after the two legs would be crowned the champion. In case of two teams tied on points after the second leg a playoff at a neutral venue would be played to crown a champion, with goal difference used as a last resort.

Route to the finals

Cruzeiro qualified to the 1976 Copa Libertadores as the 1975 Copa Brasil runners-up, defeated by Internacional 1-0 in the final match. River Plate qualified as champions of both 1975 Metropolitano and 1975 Nacional.

CruzeiroRoundRiver Plate
TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
Cruzeiro116510209+11
Internacional76312108+2
Olimpia46123711-4
Sportivo Luqueño26105514-9
----
Group stage
TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
River Plate106501103+7
Estudiantes96411113+8
Portuguesa56213811-3
Deportivo Galicia06006315-12
----
TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
Cruzeiro8440018315
LDU Quito24103410-6
Alianza Lima24103413-9
Semi-finals
TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
River Plate5421141+3
Independiente5421321+1
Peñarol2410315-4

Group stage

River Plate was drawn into Group 1 alongside Estudiantes de La Plata, runners-up of the 1975 Metropolitano Championship, and Venezuelan sides Portuguesa and Deportivo Galicia. The millonarios cruised to the Semifinals after winning five of six matches, and losing just one. River won the three matches played at your home ground, scoring seven goals and suffering just two. River also won the two matches in Venezuela, against Portuguesa and Deportivo Galicia, by 2-0 and 1-0 respectively. The only defeat was against Estudiantes, in La Plata, by 0-1.

Cruzeiro was drawn into Group 3. They were joined by fellow Brazilian club Internacional and Paraguayan outfits Olimpia and Sportivo Luqueño. Like River Plate, Cruzeiro made a campaign with five wins in six matches, with the difference that the Brazilian club tied a game instead of losing. Cruzeiro won the three matches played at your home ground scoring thirteen goals and suffering six. Cruzeiro also won Internacional in Porto Alegre and Sportivo Luqueño in Luque, but tied 2-2 against Olimpia in Asunción.

Semi-finals

The Semifinals round was another group phase. Cruzeiro were drown in Group 1 alongside LDU Quito and Alianza Lima. This time, Cruzeiro won all their four matches including the historic 7-1 drubbing against Alianza Lima. It was the first game after the death of striker Roberto Batata, killed in an automobile accident. To honor his companion, players of Cruzeiro scored seven goals, which is the number of the shirt that was worn by Batata. Cruzeiro advanced to the finals with a 100% success.

In the Semifinals, River Plate played against defending champions Independiente and the Uruguayan club Peñarol. The two Argentine clubs finished tied on stage five points apiece, necessitating a playoff, where River Plate won Independiente by 1-0.

Matches

First leg

GK 1 Raul
DF 9
DF 3 Morais
DF 12
DF 6 Vanderlei
MF 13 Piazza (c)
MF 11
MF 8 Zé Carlos
FW 7 Jairzinho
FW 10 Joãozinho
FW 5 Palhinha
Substitutes:
MF 20
MF 16
Manager:
Zezé Moreira
GK 1
DF 4 Pablo Comelles
DF 2 Roberto Perfumo (c)
DF 19 Daniel Lonardi
DF 3 Héctor López
MF 8 Juan José López
MF 5 Reinaldo Merlo
MF 16 Alejandro Sabella
FW 7 Pedro Alexis González
FW 9 Leopoldo Luque
FW 11 Oscar Más
Substitutes:
GK 12 Luís Landaburu
Manager:
Ángel Labruna
----

Second leg

GK 12 Luís Landaburu
DF 4 Pablo Comelles
DF 2
DF 6 Daniel Passarella (c)
DF 3 Hector López
MF 8
MF 5 Reinaldo Merlo
MF 10 Norberto Alonso
FW 7 Pedro Alexis González
FW 9 Leopoldo Luque
FW 11 Oscar Más
Substitutes:
DF 19 Héctor Ártico
FW 16
Manager:
Ángel Labruna
GK 1 Raul
DF 9
DF 3 Morais
DF 12
DF 6 Vanderlei
MF 13 Piazza (c)
MF 11
MF 8 Zé Carlos
FW 7
FW 10 Joãozinho
FW 5 Palhinha
Substitutes:
FW 16
Manager:
Zezé Moreira
----

Playoff

GK 1 Raul
DF 9
DF 3 Morais
DF 12
DF 6 Vanderlei
MF 13 Piazza (c)
MF 11
MF 8 Zé Carlos
FW 16
FW 10 Joãozinho
FW 5 Palhinha
Substitutes:
DF 20
Manager:
Zezé Moreira
GK 12 Luís Landaburu
DF 4 Pablo Comelles
DF 14 Héctor Artico
DF 19 Daniel Lonardi
DF 23 Alberto H. Urquiza
MF 16 Alejandro Sabella (c)
MF 5 Reinaldo Merlo
MF 10
FW 7 Pedro Alexis González
FW 9 Leopoldo Luque
FW 11
Substitutes:
FW 20 Daniel Crespo
Manager:
Ángel Labruna

Notes and References

  1. https://www.rsssf.org/sacups/copa76.html 1976 Copa Libertadores
  2. https://www.infobae.com/2013/07/29/722334-en-la-llamada-guerra-chile-river-perdia-su-segunda-final-copa/ En la llamada "guerra de Chile", River perdía su segunda final de Copa