Fluminense won their first South American Supercup by defeating Liga de Quito 2-0 and turning around the result from last week in Ecuador. The big hero of the night at the Maracanã was the Colombian Jhon Arias, who scored both goals, one of them late in the game.
The first half ended goalless with many doubts for Fernando Diniz’s team. In those initial 45 minutes, they had possession of the ball and constant player movements that characterize the coach’s philosophy, although they didn’t create much danger for the opposing goal.
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On the other hand, Liga bet on maintaining the 1-0 lead achieved in Quito with a lineup of three defensive midfielders to prevent any leaks in that area of the field. Their game was based on counterattacks through the speed of Luis Estupiñán.
For the second half and with the need to open the scoring, Diniz quickly made changes to the team by bringing in John Kennedy for Felipe Melo. This offensive profile was accentuated with the entries of Douglas Costa, Renato Augusto, and Marcelo, who was preserved due to an injury that forced him to leave prematurely in the first leg.
The reward came in the 76th minute: a cross from the right by Samuel Xavier and a header by Arias to the far post of goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez, who until then was the standout player of the match. A defensive lapse by the Ecuadorian team left the Colombian striker unmarked.
The joy was short-lived because three minutes later John Kennedy was sent off for a reckless challenge against an opponent. Despite being a man down, the Carioca team continued pushing towards the opposition’s goal in search of a goal that would secure the title.
Douglas Costa passed to Renato Augusto inside the box and midfielder Jefferson Valverde brought him down. The referee awarded a penalty, leading to massive celebrations from the entire Maracanã stadium filled with fans.
Arias struck a low shot into the bottom right corner, and although Domínguez guessed the direction, he couldn’t do anything despite his 1.95 meters in height. A brace for the Colombian, celebrations from the whole team, and euphoria from the entire stadium to lift the title, especially against a team that had prevented Fluminense from winning their first international trophies in the past.
