 Peñarol, champions | |||||||
| Event | 1966 Copa Libertadores | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| 2–2 onpoints Peñarol won after aplay-off | |||||||
| First leg | |||||||
| |||||||
| Date | 12 May 1966 | ||||||
| Venue | Estadio Centenario,Montevideo | ||||||
| Referee | Roberto Goicoechea (Argentina) | ||||||
| Attendance | 49,000 | ||||||
| Second leg | |||||||
| |||||||
| Date | 18 May 1966 | ||||||
| Venue | Estadio Antonio V. Liberti,Buenos Aires | ||||||
| Referee | José M. Codesal (Uruguay) | ||||||
| Attendance | 60,000 | ||||||
| Play-off | |||||||
| |||||||
| Afterextra time | |||||||
| Date | 20 May 1966 (1966-05-20) | ||||||
| Venue | Estadio Nacional,Santiago | ||||||
| Referee | Claudio Vicuña (Chile) | ||||||
| Attendance | 39,000 | ||||||
←1965 1967 → | |||||||
The1966 Copa Libertadores finals were the two-legged final that decided the winner of the1966 Copa Libertadores, the 7th edition of theCopa Libertadores de América,South America's premier international clubfootball tournament organized byCONMEBOL.
The finals were contested in two-legged home-and-away format betweenUruguayan teamPeñarol andArgentine teamClub Atlético River Plate. The first leg was hosted by Peñarol atEstadio Centenario inMontevideo on 12 May 1966, while the second leg was hosted by River Plate atEstadio Monumental inBuenos Aires on 18 May 1966.
After both teams won one match each, a third game was hosted atEstadio Nacional inSantiago de Chile on 20 May 1966. Peñarol beat River by 4–2 therefore winning their 3rd. Copa Libertadores title.[1]
| Team | Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners) |
|---|---|
 Peñarol | 1960,1961,1962,1965 |
 River Plate | None |
         Peñarol |   River Plate |
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| River Plate | 3–2 | Peñarol |
|---|---|---|
D. Onega 38'E. Onega 73'Sarnari 52' | Pedro Rocha 32' Alberto Spencer 50' |
River Plate | Peñarol |
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| Peñarol | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | River Plate |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer 67' 103' Abbadie 72'Rocha 109' | Report | D. Onega 28' Solari 42' |
Peñarol | River Plate |
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The defeat in the playoff v. Peñarol (by 4–2 after River won 2–0 at the end of the first half) was quite a shock for River Plate. The team returned to Argentina to play thedomestic league match v.Banfield. During the match, Banfield supporters threw a chicken (with its body painted a red sash) into the field to make fun of River Plate players.
Since that time, and up to present days, the nicknamegallinas has remained to refer to River Plate when the team loses a match that could have won.[2]
Other versions refer to a lack of commitment of some River Plate players, stating that managerRenato Cesarini would have shout "I was betrayed" (by the players) after the match.[3]
When the second half began, we changed. River Plate was winning very easily. Because of that, we thought that we needed to change the match surrounding rather strategic moves. We were desperate and therefore we drew from illicit resources, that's true. We even said them that in case they won, we would look for them to their changing room and hotel. It became a climate of war from which we took a great advantage, given the pasiveness of River players.
— Peñarol playerNéstor Gonçalves in an interview forEl Gráfico, some years after the final[3]
At the end of the match, River Plate president Antonio Liberti blamed on Cesarini for the defeat, speaking directly to him: "I think this match was not won by Peñarol. (On the contrary), I think it was River that lost this match. In my opinion, the defeat began from the bench, with the substitutions made. The match was lost by Renato Cesarini". After listening to Liberti, Cesarini agreed with him.
Nevertheless, Liberti held goalkeeperAmadeo Carrizo responsible for the defeat with harsh words to refer to him. Liberti said: "the other responsible is that man, Carrizo... It's easy to mock the rival when conditions are favorable; but someone must know how to be brave in adverse conditions... this man was born well starred. He's the untouchable. I would like to know when he won a responsibility match in 20 years playing for the club... since he stopped that ball with his chest, the match changed... a serious players should not do silly things[note 1]. To be a man, other things are necessary..."[4]
