1976 Copa Libertadores finals

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1976 Copa Libertadores finals
Event 1976 Copa Libertadores
2–2 on points
Cruzeiro won after a play-off
First leg
Date21 July 1976
Venue Mineirão, Belo Horizonte
Referee Vicente Llobregat (Venezuela)
Second leg
Date28 July 1976
Venue Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
RefereeJosé Martínez Bazán (Uruguay)
Play-off
Date30 July 1976 (1976-07-30)
Venue Estadio Nacional, Santiago
RefereeAlberto Martínez (Chile)
Attendance35,182
1975
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 played in their 1st Copa Libertadores finals. [1]

Contents

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)
Flag of Brazil.svg Cruzeiro None
Flag of Argentina.svg River Plate 1966

Stadiums

Cruzeiro-Corinthians-12072006.jpg
Estadio Monumental 1970s.jpg
Estadio Nacional de Chile.jpg
Mineirão, Monumental and Nacional de Santiago, venues of the final series

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
Flag of Brazil.svg Cruzeiro 116510209+11
Flag of Brazil.svg Internacional 76312108+2
Flag of Paraguay.svg Olimpia 46123711-4
Flag of Paraguay.svg Sportivo Luqueño 26105514-9

Group stage
TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
Flag of Argentina.svg River Plate 106501103+7
Flag of Argentina.svg Estudiantes 96411113+8
Flag of Venezuela.svg Portuguesa 56213811-3
Flag of Venezuela.svg Deportivo Galicia 06006315-12

TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
Flag of Brazil.svg Cruzeiro 8440018315
Flag of Ecuador.svg LDU Quito 24103410-6
Flag of Peru.svg Alianza Lima 24103413-9
Semi-finals
TeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
Flag of Argentina.svg River Plate 5421141+3
Flag of Argentina.svg Independiente 5421321+1
Flag of Uruguay.svg Peñarol 2410315-4

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

First leg
Cruzeiro Flag of Brazil.svg 4–1 Flag of Argentina.svg River Plate
Nelinho Soccerball shade.svg22'
Palhinha Soccerball shade.svg29', 40'
Valdo Soccerball shade.svg80'
Más Soccerball shade.svg63'
Mineirão , Belo Horizonte
Attendance: 58,720
Referee: Vicente Llobregat, Venezuela
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Cruzeiro
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Kit body redrightsash.png
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River Plate

Second leg

Second leg
River Plate Flag of Argentina.svg 2–1 Flag of Brazil.svg Cruzeiro
López Soccerball shade.svg10'
González Soccerball shade.svg76'
Palhinha Soccerball shade.svg48'
Estadio Monumental , Buenos Aires
Attendance: 90,000
Referee: José Martínez Bazán (Paraguay)
Kit left arm whitelines.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body redrightsash.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whitelines.png
Kit right arm.svg
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River Plate
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Cruzeiro

Playoff

Playoff
Cruzeiro Flag of Brazil.svg 3–2 Flag of Argentina.svg River Plate
Nelinho Soccerball shade.svg24'
Eduardo Soccerball shade.svg55'
Joãozinho Soccerball shade.svg88'
Más Soccerball shade.svg59'
Urquiza Soccerball shade.svg64'
Estadio Nacional, Santiago
Attendance: 35,182
Referee: Alberto Martínez (Chile)
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Cruzeiro
Kit left arm whitelines.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body redrightsash.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whitelines.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
River Plate

References