Argentina
La Plata side lift the Copa de la Liga six months after winning the Copa Argentina rgentina’s Copa
Review
Ade la Liga delivered a thrilling final, the drama culminating with Estudiantes de La Plata defeating Velez Sarsfield in a penalty shootout.
For Estudiantes it was a second title in the space of a few months, having won the Copa Argentina in December. Coach Eduardo Dominguez now takes his place in the pantheon of the club’s legends alongside the likes of Osvaldo Zubeldia, Carlos Bilardo, Diego Simeone and Alejandro Sabella, although the 45-year-old dismissed any similarities to his predecessors: “It is impossible to compare me to Sabella,” he said.
The club’s lineage was central to their success after over a decade without silverware: from the 2006 league title-winning side were captain Jose “The Prince” Sosa and Pablo Piatti, both back after long spells in Europe; from Alejandro Sabella’s 2009 Copa Libertadores and 2010 title-winning side was 38-year-old midfielder Enzo Perez, who returned to La Plata after several successful years at River Plate, as well as spells with Valencia and Benfica; and centre-back Federico Fernandez, a veteran of those two titles, was also an influential squad member.
In addition to the experience of previous title-winning teams was centre-forward Guido Carrillo, the team’s top scorer in the Copa de la Liga with five goals, and midfielder Santiago Ascacibar, both back at the club where they started their careers.
While Estudiantes were able to draw on players with vast experience and a strong identification with the club, Velez played the final with a team of youngsters. The academy system of El For tin (The Little Fort) is regarded as one of the strongest in the country, and that came to fruition once more as a young side progressed to the final of the Copa de la Liga.
Gustavo Quinteros’ team ended the final with eight academy graduates on the field, with 18-year-old Alejo Sarco scoring the team’s equaliser in what was only his fourth professional appearance.
Sarco’s goal cancelled out Eros Mancuso’s early strike, taking the game to a shootout, where a new Estudiantes hero was born. Goalkeeper Matias Mansilla had already saved two penalties against Boca Juniors in the semi-final and, in the final, he stopped three penalties to hand the title to Estudiantes.
“We have history and we are showing that – with fewer resources than Boca or River,” said club president Juan Sebastian Veron. Once one of the top midfielders in Europe – playing for the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Internazionale, Lazio, Sampdoria and Parma – like many of this year’s heroes Veron returned to Estudiantes to finish h
