AP, Sao Paulo :
Argentina’s Independiente is the champion of Copa Sudamericana, the second most prestigious tournament in South America. A 1-1 draw with Brazil’s Flamengo on Wednesday night in Rio de Janeiro gave the Argentinians a 3-2 victory in the aggregate result and their second title in the competition.
The winners of Copa Sudamericana secure a spot in the next edition of Copa Libertadores, the region’s most prestigious competition.
The final was surrounded by trouble, with hundreds of Flamengo fans breaking into the Maracana and attacking Independiente supporters on nearby streets. Police used stun grenades to calm the situation, but after the game there were still reports of violence in the region of the stadium.
Since Tuesday night more than 50 Flamengo fans were detained in incidents with Independiente followers, including several in front of the hotel where the Argentinian team was based.
Independiente fans were filmed making racist gestures to locals.
With the support of more than 54,000 fans in an overpacked Maracana, Flamengo striker Lucas Paqueta opened the scoring meters away from the line in the 29th minute after a low cross from defender Rever.
The Brazilians did not celebrate long. A controversial penalty allowed 18-year-old midfielder Ezequiel Barco to tie the match in the 36th.
Flamengo players were so upset about that decision that Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan decided to send off midfielder Gustavo Cuellar as he complained during the runner-up medal ceremony.
The second half gave the Brazilians two clear chances to score, but Independiente held on to win its first continental title since it was relegated in 2013 from Argentina’s top-flight division.
Midfielder Barco said the Copa Sudamericana opens a new era for the club known as “The King of Cups.” Independiente is the biggest winner of Copa Libertadores with seven titles, but the last one was in distant 1984.
“Independiente deserves to be back among the best and that is what we started here. We showed we deserved the title during all our campaign, today was no different,” an emotional Barco told journalists on the pitch.
On its way to the title, Independiente eliminated Argentina’s Atletico Tucuman and Paraguay’s Nacional and Libertad until they met Flamengo in the final.
