With three saves by goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez in the definition from the penalty spot, Liga de Quito defeated Fortaleza 4-3 on Saturday, after drawing 1-1 in 120 minutes, and won the Copa Sudamericana for the second time in its history.
The Ecuadorian team won the shootout with Domínguez's saves against the shots of Silvio Romero, Pedro Augusto - who had the option to seal the series in the fifth shot - and the final shot by Emanuel Brítez.
“I can leave football now, all my dreams have come true,” declared the 36-year-old goalkeeper, who is the only survivor of the squad that won the tournament 14 years ago. “We won another title for the country and for the team, which deserves it after so long since we didn't get it.”
Liga de Quito had started the definition with Paolo Guerrero's shot that was stopped by Joao Ricardo, but then had the successes of Lisandro Alzugaray, Mauricio Martínez, Jhojan Julio and Ezequiel Piovi.
The albos added their fifth international star to their record, in which they already held the 2008 Copa Libertadores, the 2009 Sudamericana and the 2009 and 2010 South American Cup Winners' Cups.
The Quito League coach, Luis Zubeldía, became the 12th. Argentine coach who has won the Sudamericana throughout the 22 editions that have been played and succeeds his compatriot Martín Anselmi, who achieved it in 2022 with the also Ecuadorian Independiente del Valle.
“It's personal revenge after I couldn't play in the final (in 2017) with Flamengo because I was punished,” said Guerrero, who finished 16th. title in his career. “Since I arrived here there was a purpose, which was to win the Sudamericana. I thank Professor Zubeldia, who called me to come here and sensed that we were going to achieve this.”
Source images: Twitter CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
243.152 SRY