2015 Copa Libertadores finals

The 2015 Copa Libertadores de América Finals were the two-legged final that decided the winner of the 2015 Copa Libertadores de América, the 56th edition of the Copa Libertadores de América, South America's premier international club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL.

2015 Copa Libertadores de América Finals
Event2015 Copa Libertadores de América
UANL River Plate
Mexico Argentina
0 3
on aggregate
First leg
UANL River Plate
0 0
Date29 July 2015
VenueEstadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza
RefereeAntonio Arias (Paraguay)
Second leg
River Plate UANL
3 0
Date5 August 2015
VenueEstadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires
RefereeDarío Ubriaco (Uruguay)

The finals were contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Mexican team UANL and Argentine team River Plate. The first leg was hosted by UANL at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza on 29 July 2015, while the second leg was hosted by River Plate at Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti in Buenos Aires on 5 August 2015.[1]

Club Atlético River Plate earned the right to represent CONMEBOL at the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the semifinal stage, regardless of the result of the final, due to UANL being an invited team from CONCACAF and therefore not eligible to represent CONMEBOL at the tournament. Due to the same reason, River Plate also earned the right to play against the 2015 Copa Sudamericana winners in the 2016 Recopa Sudamericana.[2]

The first leg ended in a scoreless draw.[3] The second leg ended in a 3–0 win for River Plate, and they won the tournament for the third time in their history.[4][5][6]

Teams
Team Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
Mexico UANL None
Argentina River Plate 4 (1966, 1976, 1986, 1996)

UANL came into the finals as first-time finalists of the Copa Libertadores. River Plate had previously won two titles in four finals: 1986 and 1996.

Road to the finals
Further information: 2015 Copa Libertadores

Note: In all scores below, the score of the home team is given first.

Mexico UANL Round Argentina River Plate
Opponent Venue Score Opponent Venue Score
Bye First stage Bye
Group 6 Second stage Group 6
Peru Juan Aurich Home3–0 Bolivia San José Away2–0
Argentina River Plate Away1–1 Mexico UANL Home1–1
Bolivia San José Away0–1 Peru Juan Aurich Away1–1
Bolivia San José Home4–0 Peru Juan Aurich Home1–1
Argentina River Plate Home2–2 Mexico UANL Away2–2
Peru Juan Aurich Away4–5 Bolivia San José Home3–0

Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Mexico UANL 6 14
2 Argentina River Plate 6 7
3 Peru Juan Aurich 6 6
4 Bolivia San José 6 4
Source: CONMEBOL

Pos Team Pld Pts
1 Mexico UANL 6 14
2 Argentina River Plate 6 7
3 Peru Juan Aurich 6 6
4 Bolivia San José 6 4
Source: CONMEBOL
Seed 2 Final stages Seed 16
Bolivia Universitario
(won 3–2 on aggregate)		 Away1–2 Round of 16 Argentina Boca Juniors
(won 1–0 on aggregate – Boca Juniors disqualified)		 Home1–0
Home1–1 Away0–0 (susp.)
Ecuador Emelec
(won 2–1 on aggregate)		 Away1–0 Quarterfinals Brazil Cruzeiro
(won 3–1 on aggregate)		 Home0–1
Home2–0 Away0–3
Brazil Internacional
(won 4–3 on aggregate)		 Away2–1 Semifinals Paraguay Guaraní
(won 3–1 on aggregate)		 Home2–0
Home3–1 Away1–1

Format

The finals were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If tied on aggregate, the away goals rule would not be used, and 30 minutes of extra time would be played. If still tied after extra time, the penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner.[2]

Since UANL are from Mexico, they had to host the first leg regardless of seeding (Regulations Article 3.7b: "El Torneo deberá indefectiblemente finalizar en un país perteneciente al continente sudamericano. Para tal caso, de llegar a las finales un equipo que no pertenece al continente sudamericano, deberá indefectiblemente jugar su primer partido de local." English translation: "The Tournament shall invariably end in a country belonging to the South American continent. Therefore, provided that a team not belonging to the South American continent qualifies to the finals, it shall invariably play the first leg at its home.")[2]

Matches

First leg

Near the end of the first half, Tigres defender Hugo Ayala left the game with an ankle injury. River Plate right-back Gabriel Mercado was booked soon after for a stamp on André-Pierre Gignac, leading him to miss the second leg.[7] At the break, River manager Marcelo Gallardo made an attacking double substitution, withdrawing Rodrigo Mora and Tabaré Viúdez for Gonzalo Martínez and Nicolás Bertolo, but was also suspended after shouting at the fourth official. Despite Tigres having most of the possession and late opportunities from Juninho and Jürgen Damm, the game ended goalless.[8][9]

UANL Mexico0–0Argentina River Plate
Report
Attendance: 40,000
UANL
River Plate
GK1Argentina Nahuel Guzmán
RB2Mexico Israel Jiménez
CB4Mexico Hugo Ayaladownward-facing red arrow 41'
CB3Brazil Juninho (c)
LB6Mexico Jorge Torres Nilo
RM27Mexico Jürgen DammYellow card 54'
CM19Argentina Guido Pizarro
CM5Uruguay Egidio Arévalo Ríosdownward-facing red arrow 70'
LM11Mexico Damián Álvarez
CF9Brazil Rafael SóbisYellow card 32'
CF10France André-Pierre Gignac
Substitutes:
GK22Mexico Enrique Palos
DF14Mexico Iván Estrada
DF24Mexico José Rivasupward-facing green arrow 41'
MF18United States José Francisco Torres
MF23Mexico Gerardo Lugo
MF29Mexico Jesús Dueñasupward-facing green arrow 70'
FW16Mexico Enrique Esqueda
Manager:
Brazil Ricardo Ferretti
GK1Argentina Marcelo Barovero (c)
RB25Argentina Gabriel MercadoYellow card 42'
CB2Argentina Jonathan Maidana
CB6Argentina Ramiro Funes Mori
LB21Argentina Leonel VangioniYellow card 4'
RM8Uruguay Carlos Sánchez
CM23Argentina Leonardo PonzioYellow card 64' downward-facing red arrow 76'
CM5Argentina Matías Kranevitter
LM19Uruguay Tabaré Viúdezdownward-facing red arrow 46'
CF7Uruguay Rodrigo Moradownward-facing red arrow 46'
CF13Argentina Lucas Alario
Substitutes:
GK26Argentina Julio Chiarini
DF3Colombia Éder Álvarez Balanta
MF10Argentina Gonzalo Martínezupward-facing green arrow 46'
MF16Argentina Nicolás Bertoloupward-facing green arrow 46'
MF27Argentina Lucho Gonzálezupward-facing green arrow 76'
FW9Argentina Fernando Cavenaghi
FW29Argentina Javier Saviola
Manager:
Argentina Marcelo GallardoRed card 72'
Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico, hosted the first leg.

Assistant referees:[10]
Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay)
Juan Zorrilla (Paraguay)
Fourth official:
Julio Quintana (Paraguay)

Second leg

River opened the scoring at the end of the first half when recent signing Alario headed Leonel Vangioni's low cross from the left into the goal. At 8' Lucas Alario committed an illegal strong entry against the ankle of Guido Pizarro, foul that media later considered that deserved red card.[11][12] Alario saw yellow card. At 25', Tigres had four players with yellow card, three of them defenders.

At 46' Ramiro Funes Mori committed another illegal strong entry, this time against Rafael Sóbis, foul that media also later considered that deserved red card. Funes Mori was amonestated. When Carlos Sánchez went down in the penalty area, he scored the resulting spot kick, shooting to the left of the goalkeeper to double the team's lead. Four minutes later, a corner kick from the right was headed by Ramiro Funes Mori through the legs of the goalkeeper to secure a 3–0 victory, River's first Copa Libertadores for 19 years.[13][14] The match was played under a heavy rainfall and polemic arbitration.

River Plate Argentina3–0Mexico UANL
Alario 45'
Sánchez 75' (pen.)
Funes Mori 79'		 Report
Attendance: 69,000
River Plate
UANL
GK1Argentina Marcelo Barovero
RB18Uruguay Camilo Mayada
CB2Argentina Jonathan Maidana
CB6Argentina Ramiro Funes MoriYellow card 47'
LB21Argentina Leonel Vangioni
RM8Uruguay Carlos SánchezYellow card 76'
CM23Argentina Leonardo Ponzio
CM5Argentina Matías Kranevitterdownward-facing red arrow 82'
LM16Argentina Nicolás Bertolo
CF13Argentina Lucas AlarioYellow card 9' downward-facing red arrow 69'
CF9Argentina Fernando Cavenaghi (c) Yellow card 56' downward-facing red arrow 77'
Substitutes:
GK26Argentina Julio Chiarini
DF3Colombia Éder Álvarez Balanta
MF10Argentina Gonzalo Martínez
MF15Argentina Leonardo Pisculichiupward-facing green arrow 77'
MF27Argentina Lucho Gonzálezupward-facing green arrow 82'
FW22Argentina Sebastián Driussiupward-facing green arrow 69'
FW29Argentina Javier Saviola
Manager:
Argentina Matías Biscay[15]
GK1Argentina Nahuel Guzmán
RB2Mexico Israel JiménezYellow card 17' downward-facing red arrow 77'
CB24Mexico José RivasYellow card 25'
CB3Brazil Juninho (c)Yellow card 19'
LB6Mexico Jorge Torres NiloYellow card 72'
RM27Mexico Jürgen Damm
CM19Argentina Guido Pizarro
CM5Uruguay Egidio Arévalo Ríosdownward-facing red arrow 64'
LM20Mexico Javier Aquino
CF10France André-Pierre GignacYellow card 22'
CF9Brazil Rafael Sóbis
Substitutes:
GK22Mexico Enrique Palos
DF25Mexico Antonio Briseño
MF11Mexico Damián Álvarez
MF15Mexico Manuel Viniegra
MF18United States José Francisco Torres
MF29Mexico Jesús Dueñasupward-facing green arrow 64'
FW8Ecuador Joffre Guerrónupward-facing green arrow 77'
Manager:
Brazil Ricardo Ferretti
Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti in Buenos Aires, Argentina, hosted the second leg.

Assistant referees:[10]
Mauricio Espinosa (Uruguay)
Nicolas Taran (Uruguay)
Fourth official:
Andrés Cunha (Uruguay)

See also

References
  1. "El 29 de julio y el 5 de agosto se define al campeón de la 56° edición de la Bridgestone Libertadores" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL.com. July 23, 2015.
  2. "Copa Bridgestone Libertadores 2015 – Regulamento" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL.com.
  3. "Copa Bridgestone Libertadores: Tigres y River Plate empataron 0-0 en primera final" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL.com. 29 July 2015.
  4. "Copa Bridgestone Libertadores: River Plate es campeón tras derrotar 3 a 0 a Tigres" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL.com. 5 August 2015.
  5. "River Plate win third Copa Libertadores title with victory over Tigres". Guardian. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  6. "River Plate 3 Tigres 0". Goal.com. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  7. "Tigres 0-0 River Plate: Visitors lose Gallardo in Copa Libertadores final first leg". Goal.com. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  8. "Tigres UANL 0 River Plate 0: Visitors lose Gallardo in Copa Libertadores final first leg". FourFourTwo. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  9. "Copa Bridgestone Libertadores: Tigres (0) vs River Plate (0)". YouTube. 30 July 2015.
  10. "Árbitros para los juegos de la final de la Bridgestone Libertadores" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. July 24, 2015.
  11. "La patada que pudo haber dejado a Alario afuera del partido". 5 August 2015.
  12. "River Plate: ¿Esta falta de Alario no era para tarjeta roja? | DEPORTE-TOTAL". 5 August 2015.
  13. "River Plate win third Copa Libertadores title with victory over Tigres". The Guardian. Reuters. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  14. "Copa Bridgestone Libertadores: River Plate (3) vs Tigres (0)". YouTube. 6 August 2015.
  15. "Matías Biscay estará en el banco reemplazando a Gallardo". Diario Jornada. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
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