Lanรบs Advances toโ Copa Sudamericana Final with 1-0 Victory Over Universidad deโข Chile
Lanรบs secured their place in the โฃCopa โSudamericana final, defeating Universidad de Chile 1-0 on Thursday. The Argentine sideโ advanced following a 2-2 draw in the first leg of theโ semifinal, winning the second leg thanks to a 62nd-minute goalโ from rodrigo Castillo – whoโฃ also scored both goalsโข in the initial match โขplayed in Santiago.
This victory sends Lanรบs, the 2013 Copa Sudamericana champions, into a decisive โคclash against Atlรฉtico Mineiro ofโค Brazil, whoโฃ eliminated Independiente del Valle of Ecuador in their own semifinalโ tie.
The final will beโฃ held on Saturday, November 22nd, in Asunciรณn. The tournament โwinner will earn a spot inโ the group โstage of the 2026 Copa Libertadores and a prizeโ of $6.5โ million,โ while โthe runner-up willโ receive $2 million.
The match, โplayed at the Ciudad de Lanรบs stadium, took โขplace amidst โขheightened security following recent fan violence in Buenos Aires involving Chileanโฃ andโ Argentine supporters atโข an Independiente match, resulting in โover 20 injuries and more than โ100 arrests.โ As a outcome, Independienteโ was expelled from the tournament, and both clubs were sanctionedโค with seven โคcontinental matches to be played behind closed doors for their fans,โฃ bothโข at โฃhome and away. the first leg was played without spectators, and the return leg featured onyl Lanรบs supporters. Argentine authorities implemented a important security operation to prevent Chilean fans from traveling to the country โฃand approaching the stadium.
During theโข match, Lanรบs initially celebrated a goal by Marcelino Moreno in the 12th minute, but it โฃwas disallowedโ after โคaโ video review revealed an โoffside position. Moreno later played a key role in the winning play, initiating aโ quick counterattack fromโ the โฃright wing that lead to โcastillo dribbling past the goalkeeper andโค scoring into an empty โคnet.
Universidad deโ Chileโ also had a goal overturned in the 52nd minute when Felipe Salomoni found the net,but โฃthe goal wasโ invalidated โคdue to Lucas Di Yorio being inโข an โขoffside position at the start of โขthe play.
The match concluded with a post-game brawl between players from both teams, resulting in the expulsion ofโฃ Universidad de Chile defender Matรญas Zaldivia.