Boca fizzles out as Independiente reaches final
Independiente del Valle have made its first Copa Libertadores final, becoming just the third Ecuadorian side to achieve the feat, after dispatching of Argentine giant Boca Juniors 3-2.
The Ecuadorian side took a 2-1 lead to the Estadio Alberto Jose Armando but it made up for the away goal and then some as it recorded a convincing 5-3 aggregate win to book its spot in the final.
Goals from Luis Caicedo, Bryan Cabezas and Julio Angulo got the job done after Cristian Pavon had initially put Boca Juniors 1-0 up and ahead on away goals after just four minutes.
Pavon would eventually score again in additional time, after Nicolas Lodeiro had a penalty saved for the host.
Independiente struggled to cope with Boca's early pressure on a slick surface and a poor defensive turnover allowed Colombian full-back Frank Fabra to whip in a delightful ball to find Pavon, who tucked away a classy finish to get the second leg off to the best possible start for his team.
Boca continued to pile on the pressure, forcing a string of good saves from Independiente goalkeeper Librado Azcona, but could not double its advantage.
Boca was soon punished at the other end when its defence failed to clear a routine corner, allowing Caicedo to smash in and put his side back in control of the tie.
Azcona was on hand to make several saves for the remaining 20 minutes of the half, with Carlos Tevez proving the chief threat, with his defenders also helping clear their lines.
Independiente was not so wasteful in the second half, as it looked the much sharper outfit.
Cabezas put the finishing touches on a good team move to make it 2-1, before Angulo showed his predatory instincts to intercept a pass from Boca goalkeeper Agustin Orion.
The forward showed tremendous pace to burst beyond the recovering defenders and scrambling keeper, dodging Orion's last-ditch efforts to bring him down, before netting.
And the drama did not finish there, as Boca was allowed a way back into the match when the referee awarded them a penalty just shy of the 70th minute, but Lodeiro could not beat Azcona with his spot-kick, placing it far too close to the keeper.
Pavon struck late on, but Independiente will now take on Colombian side Atletico Nacional in the final, with the first leg set for 21 July (AEST).
