SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO: Estudiantes de La Plata goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s heroics inspired his side to a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Racing Club in the Argentine Torneo Clausura final at the Estadio Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero on Saturday.
The win sealed a first title for Estudiantes since they won the 2010 Apertura and will see them face this year’s Apertura champions Platense in next weekend’s Champions Trophy.
“This team is incredible,” Uruguayan Muslera said.
“I have no words to describe the emotion and joy I feel now for having contributed to getting here when at one point we weren’t close.”
Tempers flare
Tempers flared in the second half after Racing’s Adrian Martinez committed a heavy foul on Santiago Nunez, sparking protests from the Estudiantes players and calls for a red card.
However, he escaped with a yellow card, a decision met with jeers from sections of the crowd.
The 57th minute brought some nervous moments for Racing as goalkeeper Facundo Cambeses collided with Guido Carrillo during a corner and required medical treatment twice before being declared fit to continue.
The breakthrough came 10 minutes from time when a miscommunication in Estudiantes’ defense allowed Martinez to pounce, drilling the ball past Muslera to spark wild celebrations among the Racing supporters.
Estudiantes fought back in added time, with Carrillo directing a header on target following a set piece to level the match and send the encounter to extra time.
“It’s an inexplicable emotion. This is the reward for supporting a club that always bounces back, even when it seems to be down and out,” said Carrillo, who missed a string of key games for Estudiantes due to a four-match suspension for a dangerous challenge.
“It was unjustified that ban. The last few weeks have been very difficult, but this group secured the victories, which is a testament to their character and ability to rise to the occasion in the most challenging of situations.”
Extra time and penalties
Racing’s Adrian Fernandez had an excellent opportunity to score with seconds remaining in extra time but he blasted his shot wide from tight angle, a miss that Racing would go on to rue.
Both goalkeepers made excellent saves to send the penalty shootout to sudden death, with Estudiantes substitute Facundo Rodriguez holding his nerve to send an effort squirming past Cambeses and give his side a 5-4 lead.
Franco Pardo stepped up to keep Racing’s hopes alive but his effort was diverted onto the post by Muslera to ensure victory for Estudiantes.
Estudiantes’ path to final
Estudiantes had a difficult buildup to the final, with their president Juan Sebastian Veron and the team’s starting lineup being handed suspensions by Argentina’s FA last month after refusing to form a guard of honor for Rosario Central.
Rosario, who were declared league champions after a rule change, won the new title by ending the regular season of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments with a combined 66 points.
Estudiantes’ players turned their backs on Rosario’s players when they walked onto the pitch for Sunday’s Clausura last-16 game, protesting at their opponents being crowned champions, a title not bestowed based on combined points in the competition’s original rules.
