Copa Sudamericana: Another Final in South America

The last time there was a Copa final in South America, we all know how it ended.

For those who don’t, here’s a reminder of some of the events

• The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw
• The second leg had to be postponed no thanks to crowd violence
• That second leg is now set to be played at the Santiago Bernabeu

Just in case you didn’t know, football is pretty much feisty in South America than most parts of the world. Finals are taken seriously and it usually takes little next to nothing for fan clashes and riots to start.

Just like the Copa Libertadores, the finals of the second most prestigious football tournament in South America will take place this month. Over two legs, two clubs will fight for the chance to end the year on a high by winning the Cops Sudamericana.

Atletico PR of Brazil will be taking on Junior of Colombia. The Brazilians will travel to Colombia for the first leg while the return leg will be played a week later.

Since it’s not a derby like in the Copa Libertadores, it’s easy to conclude that this game may not be as dramatic.

Think again.

Both sides are first-time finalists in this competition. For the first time in their lives, their fans will be cheering them on, knowing that they just two wins from winning the trophy and earning bragging rights that lasts for a year.

Talk about a must-see final!

Here are a few facts and stats to know about this game:

• The Home Advantage

South American football is popular for the famous “home advantage.” The homes fans go lengths to make sure their teams win. This is something that has obviously worked in the favor of these finalists.

Since the Copa Sudamericana knockout stages began, both sides have not lost a home game. For Junior, it has been 4 straight home wins. For Atletico PR, 4 wins, 1 draw.

• Goals

In the Round of 16, Atletico PR scored 4 times while Junior scored twice. In the quarter-finals, Atletico PR scored 2 goals while Junior scored 3 over both legs. In the semis, the Brazilians scored 4 goals in both legs while Junior scored 3 times.

Apparently, both sides are no strangers to scoring goals.

This is the first time both sides will be meeting. With no prior head-to-head record between them, how do you think this will end? Who will win the first leg? What of the second leg?

Leave us your comments and share your thoughts with us. We’d love to hear from you.