National team goalie Roberto Abbondanzieri caught two penalty kicks and converted one for Boca Juniors, that beat Mexico’s Pumas 4-3 in a penalty shootout on Sunday to win the Sudamericana continental soccer tournament, its third cup this year.
Regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw with goals by Martin Palermo for Boca in the first half and by Bruno Marioni with a penalty kick in the second. The first leg, in Mexico City, also ended in a 1-1 draw.
The title crowned a fantastic year for Boca in the storied club’s centennial. Boca became the second Argentine team after River Plate to win two titles in one semester and the fourth in the world to win 15 international trophies. The other three are Argentina’s Independiente, Spain’s Real Madrid and Italy’s Milan.
Earlier in the week Boca won its 21st national championship, and in July it won the Recopa Sudamericana.
On a windy night, cheered on by 50 000 roaring, chanting spectators, Boca seized possession of the ball practically from the beginning, with long passes from midfield to forwards Palermo and Rodrigo Palacio.
In the 31st minute, Federico Insua sent a free kick to the middle of the penalty zone and Palermo, rising in the air, kicked it in with his heel.
In the second half, Pumas mounted an attack and the equaliser came in the 54th by way of a penalty kick by Marioni after Boca’s Rolando Schiavi stopped the ball with his hand.
Seven minutes later, a long shot by Pumas’ Leandro Augusto bounced off the crossbar, and in a swift counterattack by Boca, Insua’s shot went barely wide.
In the 73rd, Daniel Bilos headed a cross by Pablo Ledesma, but Pumas goalie Sergio Bernal cleared the ball. Five minutes later, a Pumas defender cleared a header by Rodrigo Palacio from the goal line.
Boca’s last chance came in injury time when a shot by Marcelo Delgado smashed against a goalpost.
In the penalty shootout, Abbondanzieri caught Leandro Augusto’s and Joaquin Beltran’s shots, and Gerardo Galindo smashed his against a goalpost. Gonzalo Pineda, Martin Cardetti and Marioni scored for the Mexican team.
Bernal caught shots by Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Palermo, while Insua, Schiavi, Marcelo Delgado and Abbondanzieri scored. – Sapa-AP