The Brazilian
Fluminense
, which lost two titles at the Maracaná against the Ecuadorian
Liga de Quito
, beat its executioner 2-0 this Thursday with a double from the Colombian
John Arias
, avenged the tough defeats and won the Recopa Sudamericana title.
The Rio team, champion of the Libertadores after beating
Boca
, needed at least a two-goal advantage to win the title after having lost 1-0 on their visit to the Sudamericana champion, and they achieved them in the final 10 minutes .
In front of their fans, Flu finally avenged the humiliating defeats they suffered against the Ecuadorian team in the finals of continental tournaments played at the Maracaná, the Libertadores in 2008 and the Sudamericana in 2009.
Photo: AP / Silvia Izquierdo
Urged to win by at least two goals, Fluminense began pressing from the first minute, with Arias on the left wing and Keno on the right supplying balls for the Argentine
Germán Cano
.
But in the first half the tricolor abused the passes and lacked depth and speed against an Ecuadorian team that preferred to defend itself to seek a draw that would give it the title and that adhered to the regulations to waste time and slow down the pace of the match.
Fluminense almost opened the scoring in the 15th minute, first with a deep pass from Ganso that Samuel Xavier failed to connect and then with a shot from Ganso that left Martinelli free in front of the goalkeeper, but the midfielder shot the ball above the arch.
Estupiñán responded with a counterattack in which he got rid of André and had to be stopped with a foul by Diogo Barbosa when he approached Fabio's goal.
Cano had his first clear scoring opportunity in the 31st minute when he took advantage of a rebound from Quintero, but Domínguez managed to save his powerful shot.
A few minutes later it was Ganso's turn, to whom Domínguez deflected a ball that he put elegantly with a shot outside the area.
With five to go before half-time, Cano wasted another clear opportunity by receiving only inside the area and without a mark but kicking without force.
Photo: AP / Silvia Izquierdo
At the beginning of the second half, Fluminense coach Fernando Diniz replaced defender Felipe Melo with young attacker John Kennedy, one of his main scorers and scorer of the Libertadores title goal, to further strengthen the attack.
Kennedy began to unbalance the game quickly, first with a weak header, then with a strong shot from inside the area that scraped the crossbar and then with a header also inside the area that also passed close.
Fluminense, completely renewed with three changes, attacked Domínguez's goal like a storm, but the Ecuadorian club, cornered, managed to erect a wall and reject all the tricolor attempts.
The Liga coach, former Argentine goalkeeper
Adrián Gabbarini
, who replaced Josep Alcácer because the Spaniard still does not have a license from Conmebol, sent Paraguayan
Alex Arce
to the field , author of the only goal in the first leg, also for renew his attack.
WE HAVE RECAP!!
ARIAS SCORES THE 1-1 AGAINST LIGA DE QUITO AT THE MARACANÁ!!
📺 The CONMEBOL #Recopa, by #ESPNenStarPlus pic.twitter.com/VPGStXymAb
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) March 1, 2024
But it was precisely at that moment that Fluminense's pressure bore fruit and Arias, with an accurate header after receiving an assist from Samuel Xavier, opened the scoring in the 75th minute.
The locals' joy was short-lived because John Kennedy was sent off for stepping on Zambrano when he was on the floor, a foul confirmed by the VAR.
DO FLUMINENSE: Arias and the title goal in the Cup Winners' Cup, under the epic story of @leogabes.
📺 CONMEBOL #Recopa, by #ESPNenStarPlus pic.twitter.com/PkkTixbKyc
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) March 1, 2024
But with 4 minutes remaining Valverde knocked down Renato Augusto at the entrance to the area and his play was sanctioned with a penalty.
Arias was in charge of collecting and scoring the title goal almost in the final minute.
The match summary
With information from EFE