1968 Copa Libertadores finals

1968 Copa Libertadores finals

Estudiantes de La Plata, champions
Event	1968 Copa Libertadores
Estudiantes (LP) Palmeiras
2–2 on points Estudiantes won after a play-off
First leg
Estudiantes (LP) Palmeiras 2 1
Date	2 May 1968
Venue	Estudiantes, La Plata
Referee	Esteban Marino (Uruguay)
Second leg
Palmeiras Estudiantes (LP) 3 1
Date	7 May 1968
Venue	Pacaembu, São Paulo
Referee	Domingo Massaro (Chile)
Play-off
Palmeiras Estudiantes (LP) 0 2
Date	16 May 1968 (1968-05-16)
Venue	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
Referee	César Orozco (Peru)
Attendance	55,000

The 1968 Copa Libertadores finals was the final two-legged tie to determine the 1968 Copa Libertadores champion.^[1] It was contested by Argentine club Estudiantes de La Plata and Brazilian club Palmeiras. The first leg of the tie was played on 2 May at Estudiantes' home field, with the second leg played on 7 May at Palmeiras'. Estudiantes and Palmeiras played in their 1st and 2nd Copa Libertadores finals, respectively. Palmeiras last appearance was in 1961, in which they were beaten by defending champions Peñarol. Estudiantes was appearing in their first ever final ever.^[2]

Estudiantes won the series after winning a tie-breaking playoff 2-0 at Montevideo's Estadio Centenario.^[3]

Qualified teams

Team	Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
Estudiantes (LP)	None
Palmeiras	1961

Venues

Estudiantes de La Plata, Pacaembu and Centenario were the venues for the finals

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. Should the two teams be tied on points after the second leg a playoff was at a neutral venue will become the next tie-breaker. Goal difference is going to be used as a last resort.

Route to the finals

Palmeiras qualified to the 1968 Copa Libertadores as the 1967 Taça Brasil champions, defeating Náutico 2-0 in a playoff played at the Estádio do Maracanã. This was Palmeiras' second title in the competition. Estudiantes qualified as runners-up of the 1967 Torneo Nacional. The team did win the 1967 Metropolitano after defeating Copa Libertadores holders Racing Club.

Estudiantes			Round	Palmeiras
Main article: 1968 Copa Libertadores First round: Group 1 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Estudiantes 6 5 1 0 12 3 +9 11 Independiente 6 2 1 3 8 10 -2 5 Deportivo Cali 6 2 1 3 6 10 -4 5 Millonarios 6 1 1 4 6 9 -3 3			First round	Main article: 1968 Copa Libertadores First round: Group 5 Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Palmeiras 6 5 1 0 12 3 +9 11 Dep. Portugués 6 2 1 3 5 11 +6 5 Náutico 6 1 2 3 7 8 -1 4 Deportivo Galicia 6 2 0 4 5 7 -2 4
Main article: 1968 Copa Libertadores Second round: Group A Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Estudiantes 4 3 0 1 4 2 +2 6 Independiente 4 2 0 2 7 3 +4 4 Universitario 4 1 0 3 1 7 -6 2			Second round	Main article: 1968 Copa Libertadores Second round: Group C Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Palmeiras 4 3 0 1 7 4 +3 6 Guaraní 4 2 0 2 7 7 0 4 U. Católica 4 1 0 3 6 9 -3 2
Opponent	Result (on points)	Legs	Semifinals	Opponent	Result (on points)	Legs
Racing	2–2 (goal difference)	3–0 home; 2–0 away 1–1 playoff		Peñarol	4–0	1–0 home; 1–2 away

First round

Main article: 1968 Copa Libertadores § First round

Estudiantes was drawn into Group 1 alongside Independiente, winners of the 1964 and 1965 editions of this tournament, and Colombian sides Deportivo Cali and Millonarios. The Pincharatas surprisingly cruised to the second round, assuring qualification, with a match to spare, after a run of 4 consecutive victories and a tie. Estudiantes defeated Independiente 2-4 in Avellaneda and won 0-1 and 1-2 in Colombia against Millonarios and Deportivo Cali, respectively. A 3-0 victory at home against Deportivo Cali was followed by a 0-0 draw vs Millonarios, which assured Estudiantes place into the second round. Estudiantes will beat Independiente 2-0 in their last match of this phase.

Palmeiras was drawn into Group 5. They were joined by fellow Brazilian club Náutico and Venezuelan outfits Deportivo Portugués and Deportivo Galicia. Like Estudiatnes, Palmeiras started their campaign well with a 5-victory streak that assured them of a place in the second round, with Tupãzinho, Ademir and Servílio being key players for the Verdão (tying 0-0 in their last, meaningless match against Náutico). The first match saw Palmeiras win in Recife 1-3 against Náutico. Two 1-2 away victories against the Venezuelan teams was followed by 1-0 win over Deportivo Galicia and a 2-0 triumph over Deportivo Portugués.

Second round and Semifinals

Main articles: 1968 Copa Libertadores § Second round, and 1968 Copa Libertadores § Semifinals

The second round was another group phase. Estudiantes were drawn in Group A alongside Independiente and Universitario. Universitario gave Estudiantes their first defeat in the tournament, 1-0, in Lima. However, Estudiantes came back strongly to win the rest of their matches. The Pincharatas defeated, once again, Independiente home and away (1-0 and 1-2, respectively) and secured their place in the Semifinals with a 1-0 triumph over Universitario. In Group C, Tupãzinho, Ademir and Servílio continued to shine as Palmeiras made their way into the last four of the competition. A 4-1 rout of Universidad Católica was followed by a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Guaraní. Two hard-earned wins, one 0-1 scoreline in Santiago against Universidad Católica and a 2-1 win at home vs Guaraní, was enough to get Palmeiras through.

In the Semifinals, Estudiantes played against defending champions Racing. The first leg was played in La Plata. Estudiantes won the match 3−0 with goals from Roberto Perfumo and a brace from the emerging figure Juan Ramón Verón. The second leg, played at Avellaneda, was won by Racing 2-0 with goals by Humberto Maschio and Rubén Fucceneco. Since the series was tied on points (2-2 each), a playoff in Buenos Aires was contested; it ended in a 1-1 draw with Juan Carlos Cárdenas and Verón scoring for each of their clubs. Since the match finished in a tie, goal difference was taken into account and Estudiantes advanced to the finals.

Palmeiras' semifinal match-up was against Peñarol, three-time winners of the Copa Libertadores, in a rematch of the 1961 final which Peñarol won. This time, Palmeiras started out well winning the first leg, played at home in São Paulo, with a 1−0 with the goal coming from Tupãzinho. The second leg, played in Montevideo, ended with a 1-2 scoreline in favor of Palmeiras with a brace by Tupãzinho. Héctor Silva scored the manyas lone goal. With a point aggregate of 4-0, Palmeiras advanced to the finals.

Matches

First leg

1968 Copa Libertadores finals

2 May 1968

First leg

Estudiantes LP	2–1	Palmeiras
J.R. Verón 83' E. Flores 87'		Servilio 30'

Estadio Estudiantes, La Plata

Attendance: 35,000

Referee: Esteban Marino (Uruguay)

Estudiantes LP

Palmeiras

GK Alberto José Poletti DF Rodolfo Fucceneco DF Hugo Spadaro DF Raúl Madero DF Oscar Malbernat MF Carlos Pachamé MF Carlos Bilardo MF Eduardo Flores FW Felipe Ribaudo FW Marcos Conigliaro FW Juan Ramón Verón Substitutes: FW Luis Lavezzi Manager: Osvaldo Zubeldía

GK Valdir DF Geraldo Scalera DF Baldocchi DF Osmar DF Ferrari MF Ademir MF Dudú FW Suingue FW Tupãzinho FW Servílio FW Rinaldo Manager: Alfredo González

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Second leg

7 May 1968

Second leg

Palmeiras	3–1	Estudiantes LP
Tupãzinho 10', 68' Rinaldo 54'		J.R. Verón 72'

Pacaembu, São Paulo

Attendance: 40,000

Referee: Domingo Massaro (Chile)

Palmeiras

Estudiantes LP

GK Valdir DF Geraldo Scalera DF Baldocchi DF Osmar DF Ferrari MF Ademir MF Dudú FW Servílio FW Tupãzinho FW Rinaldo FW Suingue Substitutes: FW China Manager: Alfredo González

GK Alberto José Poletti DF Hugo Spadaro DF Raúl Madero DF Rodolfo Fucceneco DF Carlos Pachamé DF Oscar Malbernat MF Carlos Bilardo MF Felipe Ribaudo MF Eduardo Flores FW Marcos Conigliaro FW Juan Ramón Verón Substitutes: FW Néstor Togneri Manager: Osvaldo Zubeldía

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Playoff

16 May 1968

Playoff

Palmeiras	0–2	Estudiantes LP
		Ribaudo 13' J.R. Verón 82'

Estadio Centenario, Montevideo

Attendance: 55,000

Referee: César Orozco (Peru)

Palmeiras

Estudiantes LP

GK Valdir DF Geraldo Scalera DF Baldocchi DF Osmar MF Ademir MF Ferrari MF Suingue FW Dudú FW Tupãzinho FW Servílio FW Rinaldo Substitutes: FW China Manager: Alfredo González

GK Alberto José Poletti DF Ramón Suárez DF Raúl Horacio Madero DF Oscar Malbernat MF Carlos Pachamé DF José Medina MF Carlos Bilardo MF Eduardo Flores FW Felipe Ribaudo FW Marcos Conigliaro FW Juan Ramón Verón Manager: Osvaldo Zubeldía

References

1. "Zubeldía y sus muchachos. Un equipo que entró en la historia por la puerta grande". ManUtd.com. El Gráfico. 11 August 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
2. 1968 Copa Libertadores by Pablo Ciullini, Martin Harris, John Beuker and José Luis Pierrend on the RSSSF
3. El Estudiantes de Zubeldía, campeón de América on AFA website, 16 May 2018