Gabigol leads Flamengo to 3rd Copa Lib title

Flamengo marched unbeaten to a 3rd Copa Libertadores rubric aft topping Athletico-PR 1-0 successful the all-Brazilian last connected Saturday.

Gabriel Barbosa starred successful the last yet again by producing the lone extremity successful a half-full Metropolitano Stadium successful Ecuador.

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Flamengo besides won successful 1981 and 2019, the second with 2 goals by Barbosa successful the 2-1 last triumph against Argentina's River Plate.

Barbosa, considered to person a slim accidental of playing for Brazil successful the World Cup, besides netted the Rio de Janeiro club's lone extremity successful the last past twelvemonth successful the nonaccomplishment to Brazilian rival Palmeiras.

Barbosa's latest extremity was hatched successful the 43rd infinitesimal erstwhile Athletico defender Pedro Henrique was booked for a 2nd clip aft a harsh tackle. The incidental gave much country for Flamengo to attack, and the extremity came successful the past seconds of the archetypal half.

Everton Ribeiro made a debased transverse from the close and Barbosa conscionable had to propulsion the shot into an bare net.

En way to the final, Flamengo knocked retired Colombia's Tolima, Brazil's Corinthians and Argentina's Velez Sarsfield, winning each of its matches.

Flamengo striker Pedro, who is expected to beryllium successful Brazil's World Cup squad, was the Copa's starring goal-scorer with 12 successful 13 matches.

Flamengo, with erstwhile Chelsea and Brazil centre-back David Luiz anchoring their defence, enjoyed 73% of possession and created 15 chances, though lone 4 connected target, arsenic they won South America's equivalent of Europe's Champions League.

Athletico, chasing their archetypal Copa Libertadores title, couldn't present a cleanable sendoff for manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. The erstwhile World Cup-winning manager said successful the buildup he's stepping down astatine property 73. He antecedently won the Copa with boyhood nine Gremio successful 1995 and with Palmeiras successful 1999.

Local authorities successful Ecuador struggled to merchantability each 60,000 tickets for the final. Guayaquil is astir 6,000 kilometres (4,000 miles) from Rio and Curitiba.