Deportivo Quito were proclaimed champions of Ecuador after beating Deportivo Cuenca 3-2 in the return leg of the grand final on Sunday. With two terrific strikes from Michael Arroyo and another from Daniel Mina, the side from the Ecuadorian capital won the title. Meanwhile, Edison Preciado and Ismael Villalba converted for Deportivo Cuenca.

The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw in Cuenca, giving Deportivo Quito a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Ruben Dario Insua, the Argentine coach of the side, was on the verge of leaving the club due to a conflict with the board earlier in the season, but he stayed on due to the support he received from the players and the fans.

Carlos Vera, the referee of the match, sent off Ivan Borghello of Deportivo Quito and both Marcelo Bohorquez and Juan Guerron from Deportivo Cuenca.

Deportivo Quito won their fourth Ecuadorian championship, after having claimed the title in 1964, 1968, 2008 and 2009.

Gregory Sica

Southamericanfutbol.com

After claiming the 2009 Copa Sudamericana in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night — despite a clear 3-0 defeat to Fluminense at Rio de Janeiro’s famed Maracanã — Liga de Quito proved it’s in a stratosphere of its own.

The Ecuadorians, who won by a 5-4 aggregate score over the two legs, now can consider themselves one of the most dominant clubs in South America after adding to their Copa Libertadores victory of ’08, when they also got the better of Fluminense in the finals.

Liga put an end to a 78-year wait for a first international title with that triumph — which was also a first for Ecuador. But rather than sit back on its achievement, LDU understood that in order to consolidate its position as a leading club, it had to win another major title.

Many wrote off that Libertadores title as a fluke. But Liga regrouped and struck again in winning the Sudamericana — Latin America’s second-most coveted international club trophy — and cemented its status among the select group of the most successful clubs on the continent in recent years, along with Boca Juniors, São Paulo and Internacional.

Only a few years ago, the mere idea that a club from Ecuador could win a South American title was considered a joke. That wasn’t only because no Ecuadorian team had ever won an international title before, but because the level of soccer produced by its clubs was far inferior — not only to that of teams from continental titans Argentina and Brazil, but also to that of teams from the majority of the other nations.

For moments on Wednesday, those painful memories came back to haunt Ecuadorian fans. Liga was completely ripped apart in the second leg by a far superior Fluminense side, which came close to scoring a fourth goal that would have forced a penalty shootout. After experiencing such a defeat, in which Flu could have won by a much greater difference, is Liga still worthy of its title?

Many would say yes, because of its rampant display in Quito last week. The more analytical observers would say no, and bring that victory down to the effects of the altitude. It’s a hard line to tow. Liga is an extremely solid team, and has proven it’s one of the leading clubs of the region. But it’s hard to ignore the profound home-field advantage it has over its opponents when playing in the Ecuadorian capital high in the Andes Mountains, 9,350 feet above sea level.

In order to back that argument, it’s essential to provide evidence of the telling effects altitude can have on the outcome of a game. Many people from outside South America don’t have a good understanding of how harsh these conditions really are. One memorable example was during South American qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. Bolivia beat Brazil 2-0 in La Paz, 11,932 feet above sea level. But when the teams met on the Atlantic coast in Recife just a month later, Brazil claimed an emphatic 6-0 win.

Brazilians are generally known for having great difficulty when playing in the altitude, whether it be in Bolivia, Ecuador or Colombia. That was made very clear again in Quito last week when Fluminense was thumped by Liga in the first leg of the Sudamericana finals. Flu went 1-0 ahead 40 seconds after kickoff, but as the minutes ticked by, and the air seemed to get thinner and thinner for the Brazilians, Liga made the most of its home-field advantage, scoring three of its five goals in the final half-hour of the game.

When you take a look at Liga’s triumphant campaign, the Ecuadorians won all five of their home games, scoring a whopping 19 goals and conceding only two. Their away record wasn’t anywhere near as good, as they didn’t win a single game.

Looking back at Liga’s Libertadores title run last year, the side finished the tournament unbeaten at home, but lost four of its seven away games. Argentine Edgardo Bauza, the coach at the time, repeatedly said his team was one side at home and another when playing on the road. To combat that, he stressed the importance for Liga to move the ball around as quickly as possible when playing in Quito, especially in the first half, to wear out its opponents.

This shouldn’t take anything away from Liga’s achievements. If LDU didn’t have such a strong team, altitude wouldn’t be a debate. Under Bauza and now with Uruguayan coach Jorge Fossati, the side clearly has mastered the art of playing in the altitude, which explains its aggressive style and the number of spectacular goals it scores from distance, as was in evidence against Flu last week. Yes, the ball travels at a unique speed in such thin air, but can you blame Liga for taking advantage of its own environment?

Liga’s undisputed success is a combination of several factors, most notably its infrastructure and the impressive board of intelligent, hardworking people, who had planned meticulously to take Liga to the next level. Leading club directors, the father-and-son duo of Rodrigo and Esteban Paz, have been at the head of Liga’s rise to prominence. For years, they’ve been transforming the club into a South American heavyweight, and with dedication, hard work and patience, they finally have their juggernaut.

After selling a number of key players after its Libertadores triumph a year ago, Liga decided to replace them with even better players, even if it was after the FIFA Club World Cup, in which it lost in the final to then-European champion Manchester United. LDU did crash out of the group stage of the ’09 Libertadores, but the club was in the middle of this rebuilding process.

The signings this year of Ecuadorian national-team veterans Édison Méndez and Ulises de la Cruz, two experienced players who spent considerable time in Europe’s big leagues, made all of the difference for Liga. The fact the club board also kept prolific Argentine striker Claudio Bieler was also important, as he topped the Sudamericana scoring charts with eight goals.

But even if Liga has now claimed South America’s two most important trophies, Esteban Paz, who is now the club’s most influential decision-maker, believes this is only the beginning. LDU’s objective is to maintain itself at the top of the South American soccer hierarchy for many years to come.

“Lots [is still left to do],” Paz told futbolecuador.com. “We have to maintain what is happening now and we mustn’t forget that all that has been achieved has come down to hard work. But we have to keep on working, fighting and to remain at the top. To reach this is very complicated, but to maintain it is even more complicated. Now, we have to think about creating a project for 2010.”

Unlike in Europe, where a handful of the richest teams dominate the competition year in, year out, financial constraints and a swirling transfer market create an even bigger gap between South America’s haves and have-nots. When you consider the fact that both Boca Juniors and River Plate, two of the continent’s most successful clubs, failed to even qualify for the 2010 Copa Libertadores, you can understand the reason why smaller, ambitious clubs can break into the pack.

Liga de Quito’s historic run of success is the perfect example. Hats off to the Sudamericana champions.

Gregory Sica

Article at Si.com

Southamericanfutbol.com

Despite suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat to Fluminense when down to nine men on Wednesday night at the Maracana stadium, Liga de Quito of Ecuador were crowned champions of the 2009 Copa Sudamericana. The Ecuadorians had won the first leg 5-1 in Quito last week, for a 5-4 aggregate victory.

Fluminense pushed to the attack immediately from the kick-off as they searched for an early goal that would put them in a better position to possibly turn the tie in their favour.

After much pressure, in the 14th minute Dieguinho put Fluminense ahead when his long range drive deflected past Liga goalkeeper Alexander Carabali.

Four minutes later Ulises De la Cruz reduced Liga to ten-men after bringing down Dieguinho with a violent tackle.

Dieguinho was having a sensational game, and moments later he found the back of the net with a fine header, but it was ruled out for offside.

In the 40th minute Fred almost doubled Fluminense´s lead but his quick shot on the turn from inside of the area was saved by Carabali.

However, two minutes before the break Fred was sent through on goal and the striker beat Carabali with a well-placed effort that went in off the right post.

After the break Flu continued their domination, with some incisive attacking football.

Liga absorbed heavy pressure, and only looked dangerous in the attack when Argentine striker Claudio Bieler had the ball.

In the 72nd minute Gum headed in Flu´s third goal, meaning the Brazilians only needed one more goal to take the game into a penalty shootout.

Despite having Fred sent off three minutes later, Flu continued to pile heavy pressure on the Liga goal.

When Jairo Campos became Liga´s second player to be dismissed in the 82nd minute, it inspired Flu to push their complete team to the attack, including goalkeeper Albert Da Silva.

However, Liga managed to hang on, and added to their Copa Libertadores trophy of 2008 with the Copa Sudamericana.

Gregory Sica

Southamericanfutbol.com

Despite suffering a 5-1 humiliation to Liga de Quito in the first leg of the final of the Copa Sudamericana in Ecuador last week, Fluminense believe that they have what it takes to thrash Liga and claim their first Copa Sudamericana title. Almost 45,000 tickets have already been sold for the game, as the Brazilians aim to pick up one of the biggest comeback victories in recent history.

Confidence is so high that Fluminense boss Cuca decided to announce a full-strength starting eleven, even if the Rio de Janeiro giants could still be relegated to the Brazilian second division on the weekend.

Fluminense will search for a miracle, and evidence that backs up their claims is that they won 4-0 against Vitoria in the Brazilian league on the weekend, a result that saw them jump out of the relegation zone for the first time after 27 rounds.

The Tricolor will also be looking to avenge their defeat to Liga de Quito in the final of the 2008 Copa Libertadores, where they suffered a heavy loss in Quito, but then forced a penalty shootout after a big win at Maracana. Flu went on to lose on penalties.

After last week´s result Liga de Quito can´t possibly be more confident about clinching the title. The Ecuadorians are arguably the most solid side in South America at the moment, and seem to have enough quality to pick up another victory in Brazil.

With so much talent in their squad, including Edison Mendez, Claudio Bieler, Ulises De la Cruz and Neicer Reasco, it is no wonder they are just a step away from claiming another international title.

A desperate Fluminense will pressure Liga straight from the kickoff, as they should, but they have to be careful of the speed the Ecuadorians boast on the break.

KEY PLAYERS

Former Lyon striker Fred has been in prolific form in recent weeks, and will be called upon to provide Flu´s firepower in the attack. Flu are in need of many goals, but they know that they count with an exceptional striker who constantly finds the back of the net. Argentine playmaker Dario Conca will also be important in the attacking third.

Liga´s main threat is PSV Eindhoven midfielder Edison Mendez, who converted a superb hat-trick in the first leg. Mendez was in outstanding form, and promises to have another memorable game in Rio.

PROBABLE STARTING XI

Fluminense: Rafael, Gum, Cassio, Dalton, Mariano, Diogo, Marquinho, Dario Conca, Diguinho, Alan and Fred.

Liga de Quito: Alexander Dominguez, Nolberto Araujo, Carlos Espinola, Jairo Campos, Neicer Reasco, Ulises De la Cruz, William Araujo, Diego Calderon, Edison Mendez, Walter Calderon and Claudio Bieler.

Referee: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay)

Venue: Maracana, Rio de Janeiro

Kick off: 21:50 (local time)

PREDICTION:

Fluminense 2-1 Liga de Quito

Gregory Sica

Southamericanfutbol.com

Deportivo Quito are just a step away from being crowned national champions after picking up a 1-1 draw at Deportivo Cuenca in the first leg of the final of the Ecuadorian championship on Sunday.

Argentine Marco Pirchio put Deportivo Quito ahead in the 58th minute, but Diego Ianiero, who is also from Argentina, earned Deportivo Cuenca a draw nine minutes from full-time.

Cuenca played with ten-men from the 62nd minute, after midfielder Juan Carlos Paredes was sent off. Oswaldo Minda of Quito received his marching orders five minutes from the end.

The match was played in front of 20,000 fans at the Alejandro Serrano Aguilar stadium.

With only a draw in the return leg next Saturday, Quito will win the national championship for the fourth time.

In the league´s third place match, Emelec edged Liga de Quito 1-0 with a strike from another Argentine, Hernan Peirone.

Liga´s Uruguayan coach, Jorge Fossati, rested the majority of his starters to concentrate on the second leg of the final of the Copa Sudamericana next Wednesday.

Gregory Sica

Southamericanfutbol.com

Fluminense beat Universidad de Chile 1-0 in Santiago and sneaked into the semi-finals of the Copa Sudamericana, where they will meet Cerro Porteno of Paraguay, who on Wednesday ousted Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilians absorbed heavy pressure from the Chileans in the final minutes and snatched an unlikely win.

Liga de Quito of Ecuador also progressed to the final four, after coming from behind to defeat Argentine champions Velez Sarsfield 2-1 in Quito.

The Ecuadoreans will meet River Plate of Uruguay for a place in the final of South America´s second tier club competition, behind the Copa Libertadores.

Fluminense edged Universidad de Chile 1-0 with a strike from former Lyon striker Fred in the 60th minute. Fred connected to a precise cross with a fine header.

It was a very even contest, but it was the Brazilians who prevailed after dominating most of the goal mouth action.

Velez took a 43rd minute lead over Liga de Quito with a conversion from Uruguayan striker Rodrigo Lopez.  But goals from Enrique Vera (69th) and Carlos Espinola (76th) sent Liga through to the semi-finals.

The first leg in Liniers, Buenos Aires, ended in a 1-1 draw.

Liga won the 2008 Copa Libertadores, after beating Fluminense in the final.

Gregory Sica

Southamericanfutbol.com

For all its dedication over the entire tournament, justice was done on Wednesday night when Liga de Quito made history by defeating Fluminense, 3-1 on penalty kicks, to win the Copa Libertadores for the first time.

Liga’s title victory wasn’t only a magnificent achievement for the club, but also for more than 13 million Ecuadorians, as it was the first major international title ever won by the nation.

To put things into perspective, Liga didn’t even manage to advance from the group stage of the competition last year, but all of a sudden swept away all opposition on its way to a historic title triumph.

And what a triumph it was. The Copa Libertadores has traditionally treated fans to top-class title-deciders in the past, but none could be compared to the extraordinary set of events that occurred this week.

In the first leg in Quito, Liga completely outplayed Fluminense with outstanding attacking soccer, and although it should have won by a huge margin, it only managed to take a 4-2 victory into the return leg in Rio de Janeiro. But it was still a substantial advantage to close in on the title.

A week later at Rio’s cavernous Maracanã, Liga wasn’t only up against a rejuvenated Fluminense squad, but a hostile home crowd of 90,000 that made things extremely difficult.

It seemed too much for a team like Liga to handle, and although the Ecuadorians got an early boost from Luis Bolaños, they were dominated and went on to lose an intense encounter 3-1 thanks to a hat trick of goals from outstanding Fluminense midfielder Thiago Neves.

In extra time, both teams had chances to win the match, but Liga came closest, and should have snatched a late win when Argentine striker Claudio Bieler found the back of the net with a superb header. However, the goal was disallowed by referee Héctor Baldassi for an nonexistent offside infringement (Bieler was clearly onside).

In the penalty shootout that added even more suspense to the final, there was only ever going to be one winner. Veteran goalkeeper José Francisco Cevallos, who was a losing finalist of the ’98 edition of the Copa Libertadores with Barcelona of Guayaquil, made three stops, enough to give Liga a 3-1 win and the much sought-after title.

Much like Once Caldas in ’04, Liga’s title triumph was the culmination of more than four months of dedication, hard work, and determination, as well as a great deal of good fortune. Los Albos finished second to Fluminense in the group stage of the competition, and many were unsure how they would fare in the knockout rounds.

Liga, only the third team from outside Brazil and Argentina to lift the Copa in 17 years, struggled but still managed to edge three-time champions Estudiantes 2-1 on aggregate. They followed that with a penalty shootout defeat of a much fancied San Lorenzo side, eliminated Club América of Mexico on the away-goals rule in the semis and, finally, overcame Fluminense in another penalty shootout in the finals. Some might say it was luck, a cushy draw or whatever — what everyone can agree to is that Liga gave each team it faced a run for its money and ended up on top.

Although Liga’s title run has much to do with the individual talent of players like Cevallos, Bolaños, Joffre Guerrón and inspirational captain Patricio Urrutia, its success was evidently based on a team effort.

Liga’s Argentine coach, Edgardo “El Patón” Bauza, is well known for his work ethic, and since joining the club from Colón de Santa Fe in ’06, he has enmeshed that into this Liga side. He was well aware of the principal characteristics of the typical Ecuadorian soccer player: speed, power, good technique and a will to learn, and because of his wide knowledge of South American soccer, he was able to transform a set of capable players (the current backbone of the Ecuadorian national team) into a championship-winning side.

Unlike Brazil, which constantly produces world-class players, Ecuadorian soccer has struggled for household names over the years, which has inevitably led to a strong collective identity in its own domestic league.

That pride can also be noticed in the national team, which was, until recently, considered an easy opponent. Now, however, Ecuador has become one of the stronger nations of the continent (last month it held the mighty Argentina to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier in Buenos Aires).

Since the last decade, Ecuadorian soccer has improved a great deal, and two successive World Cup appearances and its first international trophy suggest that many more title successes are likely to follow in future.

Next up for Liga de Quito is the Club World Cup in Japan in December. There, it will have the opportunity to test its luck against the best clubs from around the world, and possibly set up an enticing title showdown with European champion Manchester United. After its spectacular title run in the Libertadores, another shocker isn’t out of the question. Not by a long shot.

Gregory Sica

Article at Si.com

Southamericanfutbol.com

It seems like an obvious fact, but it’s still amazing: No World Cup has ever been won by a country outside of Europe or South America. In fact, nine of the 17 finals have been battles between representatives of each continent.

This year’s Cup isn’t likely to be any different. In fact, the majority of the countries from the remaining four continents don’t stand a chance, and it’s more than likely that Brazil will win a record sixth championship. That would put South America two up on Europe.

Sounds easy, right? Not exactly.

The Europeans seem to have a notable advantage over their South American counterparts. Not only will the World Cup be played on European soil, but also the continent will be represented by 14 teams, compared to South America’s four.

The World Cup has been hosted by a European nation on nine occasions, and all but one (Brazil in 1958, in Sweden) were won by Europeans. Realistically, South America’s only hopes this year lie with Brazil and Argentina, countries that have won a combined seven Cups and look as strong as ever.

“It would be better if Ronaldinho is the star, while Argentina claims the World Cup, possibly defeating the Brazilians in the final,” says Argentina’s Lionel Messi. Has “The Flea” given us an insight into what might be the championship match?

It’s much too early to anticipate Messi’s dream final, but we can assess the possibilities of both sides, as well as those of fellow South Americans Paraguay and Ecuador.

Paraguay, which will take part in its third consecutive World Cup, knows that inexperience isn’t an excuse anymore. Much of its squad participated in the ’98 and ’02 campaigns, when Paraguay bowed out in the round of 16 against top-quality opposition in France and Germany, respectively.

Traditionally defensive, Paraguay has kept its solidarity but has improved significantly in an attacking sense. The emergence of Roque Santa Cruz, Nelson Haedo Valdez and Julio Dos Santos makes the team more dynamic than in past World Cups. Head coach Anibal Ruiz has promised his side won’t stay back too much, preferring to adopt attacking tactics in order to make the most of the speed he has up front.

Paraguay finds itself in what is likely to be a highly contested group that includes England, Sweden and debutantes Trinidad and Tobago. Although both European teams are favorites to advance to the second round, Paraguay has enough talent to proceed.

It’s crucial that the Paraguayans have a positive result in its first group match against England, which should help facilitate its passage to the second round. Expect a compact Paraguay to play on the counterattack, while slowly advancing to control the midfield and looking for empty spaces to exploit England’s defense.

Ecuador enters its second World Cup low with morale — it has only won once in its past nine matches, including a disappointing 2-1 loss against lowly Macedonia last week. Signs don’t look good for the Ecuadorians, although surprisingly, they have a good chance of advancing to the second round.

Besides host Germany, they face manageable competition in Poland and Costa Rica. A victory over the Poles in their opener is essential, although they must be aware that Poland is very quick on the counterattack, something La Tri struggles to cope with. The clash with Costa Rica promises to be an open contest, as both teams play a similar type of game. Ecuador is highly unlikely to upset the Germans on home soil.

Unless something goes very wrong, Brazil will win a historic sixth World Cup. This is by far the strongest team in the tournament. The Brazilians are brilliant in all aspects of their game, and it seems they can only get better. Although they faced relatively weak sides in preparation matches, they displayed some awesome attacking soccer. If that trend continues, it should get them through to the second round without breaking a sweat.

The Seleção is the team to beat, meaning that it is under enormous pressure. At 5-2 odds, there hasn’t been such a clear favorite since the outstanding Brazil side of 1982, which won its group in style before being eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champion Italy.

The Brazilians are highly aware of the possible threat from their group opponents. In fact, they were held to draws by Croatia and Japan last year and often meet up with tough sides that are similar in characteristics to Australia. Still, Brazil is clearly superior to its rivals and should find its rhythm as early.

On paper, Argentina is the second-most capable side in the tournament. But  that doesn’t guarantee results. As was the case in ’02, the Argentines find themselves in the Group of Death alongside Ivory Coast, the Netherlands and Serbia and Montenegro. It’s going to be a fight, but the Albiceleste have a good chance to claim the top spot. In order for that to happen, head coach José Pekerman knows his team must not only play attractive soccer, but effective soccer as well.

For some reason, Argentina sees Ivory Coast as being its most difficult group opponent, while paying little attention to the Netherlands or Serbia, sides that are hoping to win back fans after their notable absences in ’02.

Argentina looks particularly strong and demonstrated its depth in last week’s clear 2-0 victory over Angola. The Argentines dominated the match with good collective play, as well as some early signs of things to come in the attack.

If South America is to retain its World Cup dominance, it will likely be up to Argentina or Brazil to work their magic. In Germany, that task is going to be a fun challenge to watch.

Gregory Sica


Article at Si.com

By Gregory Sica, SI.com

FIFA world ranking: No. 39.

How they qualified for Germany: Finished 8-4-6 for third place in CONMEBOL qualifying, with the same point total as Paraguay but with a superior goal differential.

Previous World Cups: One appearance (2002). They were eliminated in the first round.

Manager: Luis Suárez, third year with squad.

Key players

Imposing striker Agustín Delgado is an irreplaceable figure in Ecuador’s starting lineup, and his form will play an important part in determining whether his team will get beyond the first round. Although back problems have troubled him for much of his career, he has proven that he has what it takes to spearhead the side, having notched five goals in World Cup qualifying. “Tin” is Ecuador’s main target man, and his powerful shot, combined with an awesome heading ability, is likely to unsettle opposing defenders.

Like Delgado, Edison Méndez scored five times in qualifying, and he has become an instrumental part of Ecuador’s midfield — in fact it was Méndez who scored in La Tri’s only World Cup victory, over Croatia in ’02. He is a very intelligent player who is generally responsible for the creative side of Ecuador’s game. While his awesome vision triggers scoring opportunities for his teammates, his most notable attribute is his exceptional long-distance shot accuracy, whether off a free-kick or on the run.

What to watch for

Ecuador shocked South America by beating both Brazil and Argentina on its way to reaching its second successive World Cup. Suárez’s side went undefeated at home during qualifying, due in no small part to the home-field advantage of Quito’s high altitude (9,350 feet). Even so, La Tri is confident it can go beyond the first round for the first time, and the fact that more than half the side plays for dominant local club Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito significantly boosts its chances. Team unity, obviously, is this squad’s main strength, but the side is also balanced and hard-working, with the potential to upset high-profile teams.

Although the Ecuadorians lack quality in certain aspects of their game, their main weakness is inconsistency, as they proved time and again in their qualifying campaign. Since securing a spot in Germany last October, they were thrashed 3-0 by Poland and 4-1 by local club Barcelona of Guayaquil .

Group: A (Germany, Costa Rica, Poland).

Key match in group stage: June 9 vs. Poland. Besides hosts Germany, the Ecuadorians have been matched up with relatively assessable sides in Poland and Costa Rica. Avenging the Poles in their first group match is crucial — it should set them up nicely for the clash with the Ticos. If La Tri picks up a good result in that match, it should guarantee passage into the second round, no matter the result of its final group match against the Germans.

Oddsmakers’ line: 125-1.