1997 Copa CONMEBOL Finals

1997 Copa CONMEBOL Finals
Event	1997 Copa CONMEBOL
First leg
Date	6 November 1997
Venue	Estadio Ciudad de Lanús, Lanús
Referee	Gustavo Gallesio (Uruguay)
Attendance	15,000
Second leg
Date	17 September 1997
Venue	Mineirão, Belo Horizonte
Referee	Epifanio González (Paraguay)
Attendance	35,131

The 1997 Copa CONMEBOL Finals were the final two-legged tie that decided the 1997 Copa CONMEBOL, the sixth edition of Copa CONMEBOL. The finals were contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Argentina's Lanús and Atlético Mineiro from Brazil. The matches were held at the Estadio Ciudad de Lanús, in Lanús, and at the Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte.

It was Lanús's second appearance in the finals of the Copa CONMEBOL, being the defending champions, while Atlético Mineiro reached the finals for the third time. Atlético Mineiro won the tie 5–2 claiming its second title in the competition.

Background

The 1997 final was the first meeting between Atlético Mineiro and Lanús. Both sides went into the final chasing their second Copa CONMEBOL title. Lanús were the defending champions, and Atlético Mineiro had won the competition in 1992 and finished as runner-up in 1995.[1]

Route to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).

Lanús				Round	Atlético Mineiro
Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg	Stages	Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg
Real Santa Cruz	6–1	1–1 (A)	5–0 (H)	First round	Portuguesa	4–1	4–1 (A)	0–0 (H)
Vitória	3–2	0–1 (A)	3–1 (H)	Quarter-finals	América de Cali	3–2	2–1 (H)	1–1 (A)
Colón	3–1	2–0 (A)	1–1 (H)	Semi-finals	Universitario	6–0	2–0 (A)	4–0 (H)

Matches

Summary

In the first match, held in Lanús's La Fortaleza on 6 November 1997, the home team opened the scoreline with Ariel Ibagaza, but Atlético Mineiro tied before the end of the second half with Bruno. An own goal by José Serrizuela in the second half gave the Brazilians the lead, followed by two more goals by the visitors, by Hernani and Valdir (who would finish as top goalscorer in the competition). After the end of the match, Lanús's defender Oscar Ruggeri assaulted Atlético Mineiro's Jorginho, and a brawl ensued.[2] Atlético players and staff were trapped against the fence surrounding the pitch and attacked by Lanús players and supporters. Among other injured players and staff in the confrontation, Atlético's head coach Emerson Leão had to undergo surgery after being hit in the face.[3]

The second match was played at the Mineirão, in Belo Horizonte, on 17 December 1997. Atlético Mineiro fielded four forwards in an attempt to rout Lanús again, but the lack of midfielders in the Brazilian team allowed the Argentine one to advance.[4] Lanús had many youngsters in the squad, but had the match was even, with an Atlético Mineiro goal by Jorginho in the first half and the equaliser by Marcelo Trimarchi in the second. There were security concerns after the brawl in the first match, but no violent incidents occurred in Belo Horizonte.[5]

Details

First leg

6 November 1997

21:10 (UTC−03:00)

Lanús	1–4	Atlético Mineiro
Ibagaza 19'		Bruno 41' Serrizuela 56' (o.g.) Hernani 60' Valdir 80'

Estadio Ciudad de Lanús, Lanús

Attendance: 15,000

Referee: Gustavo Gallesio (Uruguay)

Lanús

Atlético Mineiro


Lanús:
GK	Pedro Rómoli
DF	Juan José Serrizuela
DF	Oscar Ruggeri
DF	Gustavo Siviero
DF	Mariano Fernández	a'
MF	Daniel Cravero
MF	Juan Ignacio Fernández
MF	Ariel Ibagaza
MF	Sebastián Clotet	b'
FW	Ariel López
FW	Hernan Raíces	c'
Substitutes:
MF	Leonardo Mas	a'
MF	Walter Coyette	b'
FW	Marcelo Trimarchi	c'
Manager:
Oscar Garré


Atlético Mineiro:
GK	Cláudio Taffarel
DF	Bruno
DF	Sandro Blum
DF	Sandro Barbosa
DF	Dedê
MF	Edgar	a'
DF	Doriva
MF	Jorginho
MF	Hernani
FW	Marques	b'
FW	Valdir	c'
Substitutes:
MF	Roberto	a'
MF	Almir	b'
FW	Cairo	c'
Manager:
Emerson Leão

Second leg

17 December 1997

12:30 (UTC−03:00)

Atlético Mineiro	1–1	Lanús
Jorginho 10'		Trimarchi 57'

Mineirão, Belo Horizonte

Attendance: 35,131

Referee: Epifanio González (Paraguay)