Diogo Barbosa (l) of Fluminense celebrates after winning the final of the Recopa Sudamericana between Fluminense and LDU Quito this Thursday, at the Maracaná stadium in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). EFE PHOTO
Liga de Quito could not reissue the finals of the Libertadores 2008 and Sudamericana 2009 against Fluminense. This Thursday, February 29, they succumbed 2-0 at the Maracaná and had to be content with the subtitle of the Recopa Sudamericana 2024.
The advantage he gained in the first leg with Álex Arce’s goal was of little use to him. Two defensive errors allowed the locals to dance the samba thanks to John Arias’ double in the final quarter of the game.
The Ecuadorian champion dazzled in the first half with its great defensive order. ‘Dida’ Domínguez did not look out of place. On three occasions he avoided the celebration of the Brazilian torcida.
In the second stage, Fernando Diniz’s variants gave a new face to the Fluminense offense, although Ezequiel Piovi had a great opportunity to put the game away. The captain was left without a shooting angle.
John Kennedy, who entered for Felipe Melo, gave the first warning against Domínguez’s porch. He later saw the direct red card for stomping on Óscar Zambrano. Before, Arias had already achieved the first conquest with a headbutt.
In Liga de Quito, the changes did not have their effect. Álex Arce and Jhojan Julio entered unplugged. They did not have the same impact as Jan Hurtado and Luis Estupiñán.
The ‘Flu’, despite being outnumbered, managed the times better and before the referee determined the extensions they found themselves with a penalty kick.
Arias scored and destroyed Liga de Quito’s hope of winning its third Cup Winners’ Cup after those achieved in 2009 and 2010.
Of the defeats
The elimination of El Nacional from the Liberadores and the defeat of Liga de Quito in the Recopa Sudamericana opened the debate about the late start of the LigaPro.
Sportivo Trinidense march last in the Apertura Tournament of the First Division of Paraguay. He arrived in Quito with seven official games on top he achieved his objective against the ‘Puros Creollos’ who are not even debuting in Ecuador’s Serie A.
Fluminense reached the grand final against Liga de Quito with 10 official matches of the Carioca Championship. In this tournament they are second with six wins, three draws and one loss.
Los Albos will debut in the domestic tournament next Monday, March 4 against Macará at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium. The president of LigaPro, Miguel Loor, accepted that the start of the championship will have to happen earlier in the coming seasons.
