Cano fires Fluminense to Libertadores glory

Argentine striker helps Fluminense lift their first-ever Copa Libertadores crown, while LDU Quito win the Sudamericana

The global audience that accompanied South American club football’s showpiece occasion appeared divided by what it had seen. Fluminense of Brazil beat Argentina’s Boca Juniors 2-1 in Rio’s Maracana stadium to win the Copa Libertadores. Those who expected a game of quality seemed disappointed. But those who had tuned in for drama were gripped by a dramatic, sometimes chaotic encounter that ebbed and flowed over 120 minutes. And the tears that flowed on the pitch and in the stands before, during and after the match gave the occasion a level of intensity that some compared favourably with the corporate sterility of Europe’s Champions League decider. 

And the destiny of the Libertadores was decided by two fine goals, both of which bore the stamp of Fernando Diniz, Fluminense’s fascinating coach. The first was a succinct statement of his team’s unorthodox attacking approach. Diniz frequently looks to create overloads by moving almost the entire team to one flank. The two wingers, Jhon Arias and Keno combined down the right and Keno pulled back for Argentine striker German Cano to move intelligently into space and score with a typically efficient onetouch finish. A 35-year-old who has scored goals all across Latin America without previously attracting much attention, Cano has now become a star.