A goal from Miguel Borja took Atletico Nacional to their second Copa Libertadores success and ended the hopes of Ecuadorian underdogs Independiente del Valle 1-0.
Borja’s early strike gave Nacional a 1-0 win on the night and completed a 2-1 aggregate victory. The result meant there was no fairytale ending for Independiente, the tiny club that had captured the hearts of South American football lovers over the course of their unlikely march to this year’s final.
The only goal of the game came on eight minutes when Macnelly Torres’ teasing free-kick into the penalty area bounced back off the post and Borja was on unmarked to lash the rebound into the corner of the net.
Nacional, roared on by 40,000 fans deserved their success on the night and also over the course of the competition, which saw them suffer just one defeat in 14 matches.
“This is thoroughly deserved,” fullback Daniel Bocanegra told reporters after the game. “It’s a dream come true and now we are off to the World Club Cup which is very important.”
The Colombian outfit, led impressively by coach Reinaldo Rueda, who guided Ecuador to the 2015 World Cup finals, last won South America’s premier club competition in 1989.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHjIhAqaV8w
