Copa Libertadores Final 2011, Santos Vs. Peñarol: Neymar Guides Santos To South American Crown

A one, a two, a three. Santos FC scored three times, twice in the correct net and captured the Copa Libertadores crown with it. After a scoreless first leg everything came down to the second 90 minutes and it was Neymar and Danilo who did the deed for the Brazilian club. They each scored a goal to put Santos up 2-0 and despite an own goal by Durval, the Copa Libertadores crown is heading back to Brazil. Take a look at the first goal of the match by Neymar.

Neymar’s goal was good, but Danilo’s probably tops it. He dances past a defender before finishing well, plus he doesn’t have the absurd hedgehog haircut that makes it impossible to root for him

Apparently it’s becoming tradition after the final whistle of the Copa Libertadores final for some extra curricular activity to break out and tonight was no exception. After the final whistle blew at the Estádio do Pacaembu, some Santos fans invaded the pitch, quickly angering the Peñarol players and setting off an ugly brawl that required police intervention to finally bring the festivities to an end. Let’s go to the tape!

Needless to say it wasn’t pretty but a certain level you can sympathize with the Peñarol players who were already upset from the loss, only to have some idiots come charging on the field and getting in their faces. Still, it’s another ugly incident in a tournament that’s becoming a little to synonymous with ugly incidents.

After a month layoff and some questions about whether or not he was truly 90 minutes fit, Paulo Henrique Ganso is healthy and starting the second leg of the 2011 Copa Libertadores final for Santos FC. There are no surprises in their lineup, as he’s joined by the likes of Neymar and Elano. Peñarol’s lineup is also light on surprises, as they go with their normal 4-4-2. With Ganso in the lineup, they might feel like they have a better chance to attack through the middle than they did in the first leg, but they will still attack primarily down the wings. Here are the lineups.

Santos FC Lineup: Rafael, Danilo, Edu Dracena, Durval, Léo; Adriano, Arouca, Elano, Ganso; Neymar, Zé Eduardo

The first leg of the 2011 Copa Libertadores Final in Montevideo was a predictable affair. Santos held most of the possession, but didn’t do a lot with it. Peñarol didn’t look good, but they were able to create a couple of great scoring chances on set pieces and on the counter-attack. Ultimately, the game ended 0-0 with neither team willing to commit numbers forward with abandon, pushing for a goal. Santos were content to take their chances at home, while Peñarol were content to avoid conceding an away goal.

While that latter point is certainly a good thing for Peñarol, the advantage sits with the team who is playing at home in the second leg. Santos weren’t able to break down Peñarol in the first leg, partially because of their lack of ambition and partially because Peñarol is a very good team. In the second leg, Santos might be able to bust out their ace in the hole; the player who should allow them to easily break down Peñarol’s defensive posture without the ball.