The 1997 Supercopa Libertadores finals were the final matches of the 1997 Supercopa Libertadores, the tenth and final edition of South America's secondary club football competition. The two-legged event was contested between River Plate of Argentina and São Paulo of Brazil. The first leg was played at the Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, on 4 December 1997 and the second leg was played on 17 December 1997 at the Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires. They were both appearing in their second final. São Paulo had previously won the tournament in 1993, while River Plate had lost the final of the 1991 edition.
Each team had to progress through their group stage in first position, and subsequently play a single knockout round, totalizing eight matches. São Paulo won their group against Flamengo, Olimpia and Vélez Sarsfield before beating Colo-Colo, while River Plate defeated Atlético Nacional after finishing ahead of Vasco da Gama, Santos and Racing Club to qualify for the final.
A crowd of 47,549 spectated the first leg at the Estádio do Morumbi, which resulted in a goalless draw. Watched by a crowd of 59,181 at the Estadio Monumental, River Plate took an early lead in the second half when Marcelo Salas scored. Dodô equalised the match seven minutes later for São Paulo, but the Chilean striker would sign a brace for a 2–1 scoreline. No further goals were scored, thus crowning River Plate champions of the last edition of the Supercopa Libertadores.
Background
The Supercopa Libertadores was founded in the late 1980s.[1] Established with the purpose of determining who would face the Copa Libertadores' season champion in the Recopa Sudamericana, the tournament brought together every team that had won South America's primary club football competition into a single-elimination format.[2] Regarded as the second most prestigious South American club competition out of the three major tournaments, behind the Copa Libertadores and ahead of the Copa CONMEBOL. Since the abolition of the Supercopa, the Recopa Sudamericana place previously reserved for the Supercopa winner has been taken by the winner of the Copa Sudamericana.
Route to the final
First leg
Summary
Second leg
Summary
See also
Notes
- ^ The match between Vasco da Gama and River Plate on 30 October was abandoned in the 70th minute after local fans tossed a rock that collisioned with linesman Juan Riquelme.[3]
References