Liga de Quito drew 0-0 on Wednesday with Defensa y Justicia away and, thanks to last week’s 3-0 result at Rodrigo Paz Delgado, secured their ticket to the final of the Copa Sudamericana, which will be played on October 28 at the Campus de Maldonado in the Uruguayan city of Punta del Este.

The team led by Argentine Luis Zubeldía thus sealed their eighth international final, which allows the Ecuadorian representative to add his fifth title outside his country after those won in the Copa Libertadores 2008, Copa Sudamericana 2009 and the South American Cup Winners’ Cup 2009 and 2010

For their part, Defensa y Justicia, winners of this trophy in 2020, fell by the wayside and must now focus their attention on the Professional League and the Copa Argentina, both tournaments in which they are still alive.

Quito League Final:

in 2008

Copa Libertadores final

(Round trip)

On June 25, at the Casa Blanca Stadium, Liga de Quito needed time to score four goals against Fluminense, but the Brazilians then scored in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final. The capital’s scorers were Claudio Bieler (2 minutes), Joffre Guerrón (28), Jairo Campos (33), Patricio Urrutia (45); Cariocas Darío Conca and Thiago Neves.

On July 2nd, Liga de Quito lost in the final of the second leg 3-1 to Fluminense, in regular time (total score 5-5), but in stoppage time the albos were more precise and defeated the hosts 3-1 with a remarkable performance by the goalkeeper José Francisco Cevallos who stopped three shots. Before the definition, the goals were the work of Luis Bolaños, and for Fluminense a triple from Thiago Neves. Patricio Urrutia, Franklin Salas, Joffre Guerrón scored in the League, and Jairo Campos missed.

in 2008

Final of the World Club Championship

17 minutes before the end of the final match of the FIFA Club World Cup, striker Wayne Rooney scored a goal that gave Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Liga de Quito, in the showdown between the European monarchs and America. The Red Devils, consisting of Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Edwin van der Sar, narrowly defeated Alba at the International Stadium in Yokohama, in front of 62,682 spectators.

in 2009

South American Cup Winners’ Cup Final

(Round trip)

The first match between Inter (2008 Copa Sudamericana champions) and Liga de Quito (2008 Libertadores champions) was played in Brazil on June 25. Inter lost 1-0 at the Beira Rio stadium in Porto Alegre in front of around 35,000 fans. The white goal was scored by Argentinian striker Claudio Bieler in the 57th minute.

On 9 July 2009, goals from Argentine forward Claudio Bieler, Paraguayan defender Carlos Espínola and Guaraní midfielder Enrique Vera saw Liga de Quito defeat Inter de Porto Alegre 3–0 in the 2009 Recopa Sudamericana final to become champions.

2009 Copa Sudamericana Final (return leg)

On November 29, 2009, Liga de Quito defeated Brazil’s Fluminense 5–1, at the Casa Blanca stadium, in front of more than 50,000 people, and won the first Copa Sudamericana final of that year. The Brazilians took the lead after 23 seconds through Marquinho. Édison Méndez scored a hat trick. Franklin Salas scored the fourth and Ulises de la Cruz closed with the fifth goal.

On December 2, as well as in the second leg of the 2008 Copa Libertadores final, in the 2009 Sudamericana final, Fluminense scored three goals against Liga de Quito (3-0), but the aggregate score was 5-4.

Suruga Bank Cup Final 2010

The duel between the 2009 edition Copa Sudamericana champions and the monarchs of the J.League Cup, Japan’s oldest tournament, faced off against FC Tokyo and Liga de Quito in 2010. It was tied at 2 in regular time. The home team scored through Sota Hirayama (33 minutes) and Masashi Oguro (90 minutes +1). Hernán Barcos (28) and Patrico Urrutia (63) did it for the Quito team. The Japanese won the crown on penalties 4-3. In the round, white players Ulises de la Cruz, Chrisitan Lara and Renán Calle succeeded. Patricio Urrutia and Carlos Luna failed.

Recopa Sudamericana 2010 final (return trip)

On 25 August, Liga de Quito defeated Argentina’s Estudiantes de La Plata 2–1 in the first leg of the 2010 Recopa Sudamericana, played at the Casa Blanca Stadium in the capital. Azucenas’ goals were scored by Hernán Barcos in the 8th and 16th minutes, while Faustino Marcos Rojo scored in the 12th minute for Estudiantes.

In the second leg final on September 8, Estudiantes and Liga drew 0-0 and the result earned Liga a double Recopa Sudamericana championship and a return to the Olympics as a guest. (D)