1978 Copa Libertadores finals

1978 Copa Libertadores finals

Boca Juniors, champions
Event	1978 Copa Libertadores
Deportivo Cali Boca Juniors 0 4
Boca Juniors won 3-1 on points.
First leg
Deportivo Cali Boca Juniors 0 0
Date	November 23, 1978
Venue	Estadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali
Referee	Ortiz (Paraguay)
Attendance	50,000
Second leg
Boca Juniors Deportivo Cali 4 0
Date	November 28, 1978
Venue	La Bombonera, Buenos Aires
Referee	Pérez (Peru)
Attendance	80,000
← 1977 1979 →

The 1978 Copa Libertadores finals was the final two-legged tie to determine the 1978 Copa Libertadores champion. It was contested by Argentine club Boca Juniors (which had entered directly to semifinals as 1977 champion) ^[1] and Colombian club Deportivo Cali. The first leg of the tie was played on November 23 at Deportivo Cali' home field, with the second leg played on November 28 at Boca Juniors'. It was Deportivo Cali's 1st Copa Libertadores finals and the 3rd finals for Boca Juniors.

Boca Juniors won the series after winning the second leg tie 4-0 at Buenos Aires's La Bombonera and accumulated more points than their opponent. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Qualified teams

Team	Previous finals app.
Deportivo Cali	None
Boca Juniors	1963, 1977

Bold indicates winning years

Rules

The finals will be played over two legs; home and away. The team that accumulates the most points —two for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss— after the two legs will be crowned the champion. If the two teams are tied on points after the second leg, a playoff in a neutral venue will become the next tie-breaker. Goal difference is going to be used as a last resort.

Venues

Estadio Pascual Guerrero and La Bombonera were the venues of the finals

Road to the final

Further information: 1978 Copa Libertadores

• Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Deportivo Cali				Round	Boca Juniors
Opponent	Result			Group stage	Opponent	Result
Junior	0–0 (A)			Matchday 1	–	–
Peñarol	1–0 (H)			Matchday 2	–	–
Danubio	2–0 (H)			Matchday 3	–	–
Junior	0–0 (H)			Matchday 4	–	–
Peñarol	2–0 (A)			Matchday 5	–	–
Danubio	3–0 (A)			Matchday 6	–	–
Group 4 winners Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Deportivo Cali 6 3 2 1 10 3 +7 8 Peñarol 6 3 0 3 6 5 +1 6 Junior 6 1 4 1 4 5 −1 6 Danubio 6 1 2 3 2 9 −7 4 Source: RSSSF				Final standings	As current champions, Boca Juniors started to compete directly in semifinals
Opponent	Result			Semifinals	Opponent	Result
Cerro Porteño	1–1 (H)			Matchday 1	River Plate	0–0 (H)
Alianza Lima	3–2 (H)			Matchday 1	Atlético Mineiro	2–1 (A)
Alianza Lima	4–1 (A)			Matchday 3	Atlético Mineiro	3–1 (H)
Cerro Porteño	4–0 (A)			Matchday 4	River Plate	2–0 (A)
Group B Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Deportivo Cali 4 3 1 0 12 4 +8 7 Cerro Porteño 4 1 1 2 4 9 −5 3 Alianza Lima 4 1 0 3 7 10 −3 2 Source: RSSSF				Final standings	Group A Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Boca Juniors 4 3 1 0 7 2 +5 7 River Plate 4 1 1 2 1 3 −2 3 Atlético Mineiro 4 1 0 3 3 6 −3 2 Source: RSSSF

Match details

First leg

1978 Copa Libertadores

November 23, 1978

First leg

Deportivo Cali	0–0	Boca Juniors
	Report

Estadio Pascual Guerrero , Cali

Attendance: 45,000 ^[5]

Referee: Héctor Ortiz (Paraguay)

Deportivo Cali

Boca Juniors

GK 1 Pedro Zape DF William Ospina DF 3 Fernando Castro  57' DF Henry Caicedo DF Miguel Escobar (c) MF César Valverde MF Rafael Otero  68' MF Angel Landucci FW Hector Achilli FW José Fernández FW Angel Torres Substitutes: MF Heriberto Correa  57' MF Héctor Jaramilo  68' Manager: Carlos Bilardo

GK 24 Carlos Rodríguez DF 4 Vicente Pernía DF 2 Francisco Sá DF 6 Roberto Mouzo DF 3 Miguel Bordón MF 8 Jorge Benítez MF 5 Rubén Suñé (c) MF 18 Mario Zanabria FW 7 Ernesto Mastrángelo FW 17 Carlos H. Salinas FW 22 Hugo Perotti Manager: Juan Carlos Lorenzo

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Second leg

Some of the scoring moments of the match, fltr: Perotti (1st goal), Mastrángelo (2nd), and Salinas (third); on the left, Zanabria (18) and Mastrángelo (7) celebrating with their fans

November 28, 1978

Second leg

Boca Juniors	4–0	Deportivo Cali
Perotti 15', 81' Mastrángelo 60' Salinas 71'

La Bombonera , Buenos Aires

Attendance: 55,000 ^[6]

Referee: Edison Peréz (Peru)

Boca Juniors

Deportivo Cali

GK 1 Hugo Gatti DF 4 Vicente Pernía DF 2 Francisco Sá DF 6 Roberto Mouzo DF 3 Miguel Bordón MF 8 Jorge Benítez  89' MF 5 Rubén Suñé (c) MF 18 Mario Zanabria FW 7 Ernesto Mastrángelo FW 17 Carlos H. Salinas FW 22 Hugo Perotti Substitutes: FW 9 Carlos Veglio  89' Manager: Juan Carlos Lorenzo

GK 1 Pedro Zape DF William Ospina  52' DF 3 Miguel Escobar (c) DF Henry Caicedo DF Heriberto Correa MF César Valverde MF Rafael Otero  46' MF Angel Landucci FW Néstor Scotta FW Alberto J. Benítez FW Ángel Torres Substitutes: MF Diego Umaña  46' DF Fernando Castro  52' 89' Manager: Carlos Bilardo

References

1. La historia de Boca en Libertadores on TyC Sports
2. 1978 Copa Libertadores by John Beuker and Pablo Ciullini on RSSSF
3. Copa Libertadores 1978 overview on Historia de Boca
4. La final de la Libertadores 1978 by Daniela Rojas on Vavel, 23 Feb 2016
5. Parrado, Por Juan Camilo Rodríguez (2024-11-28). "Así fue la primera final de Copa Libertadores que perdió un equipo colombiano: nada más que en La Bombonera". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-17.
6. Parrado, Por Juan Camilo Rodríguez (2024-11-28). "Así fue la primera final de Copa Libertadores que perdió un equipo colombiano: nada más que en La Bombonera". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-17.