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1966 Copa Libertadores finals

The 1966 Copa Libertadores finals were the two-legged final that decided the winner of the 1966 Copa Libertadores, the 7th edition of the Copa Libertadores de América, South America's premier international club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL.

1966 Copa Libertadores finals
Peñarol, champions
Event1966 Copa Libertadores
Peñarol River Plate
Uruguay Argentina
2–2 on points
Peñarol won after a play-off
First leg
Peñarol River Plate
2 0
Date12 May 1966
VenueEstadio Centenario, Montevideo
RefereeRoberto Goicoechea (Argentina)
Attendance49,000
Second leg
River Plate Peñarol
3 2
Date18 May 1966
VenueEstadio Antonio V. Liberti, Buenos Aires
RefereeJosé M. Codesal (Uruguay)
Attendance60,000
Play-off
River Plate Peñarol
2 4
After extra time
Date20 May 1966 (1966-05-20)
VenueEstadio Nacional, Santiago
RefereeClaudio Vicuña (Chile)
Attendance39,000
← 1965
1967 →

The finals were contested in two-legged home-and-away format between Uruguayan team Peñarol and Argentine team Club Atlético River Plate. The first leg was hosted by Peñarol at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on 12 May 1966, while the second leg was hosted by River Plate at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on 18 May 1966.

After both teams won one match each, a third game was hosted at Estadio Nacional in Santiago de Chile on 20 May 1966. Peñarol beat River by 4–2 therefore winning their 3rd. Copa Libertadores title.[1]

Qualified teams

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Team Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
  Peñarol 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965
  River Plate None

Stadiums

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Estadio Centenario of Uruguay, Estadio Monumental of Buenos Aires and Estadio Nacional de Santiago were the venues for the three matches (first and second leg plus playoff, respectively) of the finals.

Match details

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First leg

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1966 Copa Libertadores finals
First leg
Peñarol  2–0  River Plate
Abadie   75'
Joya   85'
Attendance: 49,000
Referee: Goicoechea (Argentina)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peñarol
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
River Plate

Second leg

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Second leg
River Plate  3–2  Peñarol
D. Onega   38'
E. Onega   73'
Sarnari   52'		 Pedro Rocha   32'
Alberto Spencer   50'
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: José M. Codesal (Uruguay)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
River Plate
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peñarol

Playoff

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Captains of Peñarol and River Plate before the playoff in Santiago de Chile
Playoff
Peñarol  4–2 (a.e.t.)  River Plate
Spencer   67'   103'
Abbadie   72'
Rocha   109'		 Report D. Onega   28'
Solari   42'
Attendance: 39,000
Referee: Claudio Vicuña (Chile)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peñarol
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
River Plate

Aftermath

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Renato Cesarini (left) and president Antonio Liberti after the match. Liberti made Cesarini and goalkeeper Amadeo Carrizo responsibles for the defeat in the playoff

The defeat in the playoff v. Peñarol (by 4–2 after River won 2–0 at the end of the first half) was quite a shock for River Plate. The team returned to Argentina to play the domestic league match v. Banfield. During the match, Banfield supporters threw a chicken (with its body painted a red sash) into the field to make fun of River Plate players.

Since that time, and up to present days, the nickname gallinas has remained to refer to River Plate when the team loses a match that could have won.[2]

Other versions refer to a lack of commitment of some River Plate players, stating that manager Renato Cesarini would have shout "I was betrayed" (by the players) after the match.[3]

When the second half began, we changed. River Plate was winning very easily. Because of that, we thought that we needed to change the match surrounding rather strategic moves. We were desperate and therefore we drew from illicit resources, that's true. We even said them that in case they won, we would look for them to their changing room and hotel. It became a climate of war from which we took a great advantage, given the pasiveness of River players.

— Peñarol player Néstor Gonçalves in an interview for El Gráfico, some years after the final [3]

At the end of the match, River Plate president Antonio Liberti blamed on Cesarini for the defeat, speaking directly to him: "I think this match was not won by Peñarol. (On the contrary), I think it was River that lost this match. In my opinion, the defeat began from the bench, with the substitutions made. The match was lost by Renato Cesarini". After listening to Liberti, Cesarini agreed with him.

Nevertheless, Liberti held goalkeeper Amadeo Carrizo responsible for the defeat with harsh words to refer to him. Liberti said: "the other responsible is that man, Carrizo... It's easy to mock the rival when conditions are favorable; but someone must know how to be brave in adverse conditions... this man was born well starred. He's the untouchable. I would like to know when he won a responsibility match in 20 years playing for the club... since he stopped that ball with his chest, the match changed... a serious players should not do silly things [note 1]. To be a man, other things are necessary..."[4]

Notes

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  1. ^ The exact word used by Liberti was "gansadas" (in Spanish)

References

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  1. ^ 1966 Copa Libertadores de América by José uis Pierrend, Pablo Ciullini, Karel Stokkermans and John Beuker on RSSSF.com
  2. ^ La final de 1966 y el apodo de Gallina, otra derrota difícil de digerir para River on El Gráfico, 2017
  3. ^ a b En 1966, Peñarol ganaba su tercera Copa y River, el apodo de "gallina" Archived 4 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Pasión Fútbol, 20 May 2013
  4. ^ Aquel pechito de Carrizo by Mariano Hamilton on Un Caño magazine
 
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