John Kennedy, a 21-year-old striker with many ups and downs in his short career, scored the winning goal to give Brazil’s Fluminense its maiden Copa Libertadores title against Boca Juniors.
Substitute Kennedy netted Fluminense’s second in its 2-1 victory against the Argentinians at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in the 9th minute of overtime. Regular time ended 1-1.
Kennedy was sent off for a second yellow after scoring with a powerful volley from the edge of the box, past the left corner of goalkeeper Sergio Romero. Shortly later Boca’s Frank Fabra also saw a red card, which kept some balance between the two exhausted teams during extra time.
“It was the most important goal of my life,” Kennedy said. “I came to hug my family on the stands after I scored the goal, he sent me off for that, but nothing else matters. We are the champions.”
The Argentinian giants were playing for their seventh title in the tournament. Its tens of thousands of fans in Rio saw their hopes momentarily tank after their countryman Germán Cano scored in the 36th minute after a low cross from Keno.
The 35-year-old Cano netted 81 goals for the Rio-based club in 125 matches in the past two years.
Boca lost some momentum, but managed to equalize in the 72nd minute with a powerful shot by Luis Advincula from the edge of the box, a goal allowed Argentinian fans once more to dream of the title, counting on Romero’s great penalty saving skills.
Eight minutes later, Kennedy stepped in. His goal in extra time came as Fluminense pushed forward, knowing a penalty shootout could make the final go Boca’s way.
The striker, who first appeared at the Rio club in 2021, struggled to get a starting position last year. He was loaned to a small club that was relegated in the Sao Paulo state league, and returned to Fluminense only months ago.
Brazilian clubs won every edition of the Copa Libertadores since 2019 with Flamengo and Palmeiras.
Boca, who would tie Independiente with a record seventh title, played its first continental decider since 2018. Five years ago, the yellow and blue club lost the final to archrival River Plate, with the last match played in Madrid because of fan violence in Buenos Aires.
The 35-year-old Marcelo, who made most of his career as a left-back but has played often as a midfielder, was one of Fluminense’s keys to control the match from the start. The 19-year-old Argentinian midfielder ValentÃn Barco, a big hope of creativity for Boca, could not deliver in the final.