For the fourth year in a row a Brazilian team made it to the Copa Libertadores final. For the fourth year in a row they had the second leg at home. But for the first time in those four years they actually lifted the trophy. Internacional beat Chivas 3-2 for a 5-3 aggregate win. As in the first leg Inter were the far (and I mean like FAR) superior side. The scoreline was charitable to the visitors. Nearly without exception Inter's bouts of possession were filled with purpose, creativity, and ideas. For much of the game Chivas looked content with not losing the ball in a dangerous area and pumping it forward blindly. I will admit Chivas' first goal was a highlight reel worthy thing of beauty, but over the 90 minutes they didn't belong on the same field.
Arellano's late two-footed mugging of Andres D'Alessandro near the end brought a deserved straight red. Terrible, terrible tackle.
A few random thoughts:
This is the first time I can remember rooting for a Brazilian team of any kind at club or country level. The manifest lunacy of allowing Chivas to skip qualification AND the group stage and start in the knockout rounds is something that angers me to a level I can not put into words.
I wonder if Internacional de Porto Alegre realize their initials are I.P.A.? They should use that as a moniker, if the abbreviation flies in Portuguese.
There is a good chance (let's be honest it is nearly inevitable) that Internazionale will play Internacional for the Club World Cup this coming December. Whoa! Inter v Inter. Spy v Spy. Argentines and Brazilians v Argentines and Brazilians.
I know it was probably logistically impossible but having the semis and the final after the world cup really killed the stoke for me this time. I usually love the Copa Lib but that is something they should really try to avoid. I am aware it has happened before but I still think it sucks.
That is all.
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