For the second time in the entire history of the South American and Southern Zone Championships, Bolivian futsal celebrates a continental title at the club level.
The achievement belongs to Cotas Juniors of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, who won the continental crown by drawing in normal time and extra time without goals and then beating Atenas of Asunción, Paraguay, on penalties, in the hosts' own land at the Luis Oscar Giagni Miers coliseum of the Sol de América club.
In sudden death, two of Bolivia's three shots found the net, scored by their captain, Paraguayan reinforcement Diego "Cachito" Melgarejo, and Santiago Martinez. Falcao Rivas scored Paraguay's lone goal. Bolivian goalkeeper José Campos, the star of the match, saved shots from Cristian Martinez and then from Pitu Román.
The champion team did not have their top scorer and leading scorer of the championship, Kevin Ariza, at crucial moments, as he was disqualified, as were two local futsal players.
June 12th came in third
In the third-place match, played early in the day at the Sol de América sports complex, the other Paraguayan representative, 12 de Junio, won third place and climbed onto the podium by defeating San Miguel of Uruguay 9-6. They were already leading 6-3 at halftime.
Final ranking
Champion: Cotas Juniors from Santa Cruz (Bolivia)
Runner-up: Deportivo Atenas (Paraguay)
Third: June 12 (Paraguay)
Fourth: San Miguel (Uruguay)
Fifth: SAF Talisma (Brazil)
Sixth: Churros FC (Chile)
Seventh: Palermo (Uruguay)
Eighth: Furia Cruceña (Bolivia)
HISTORICAL REFERENCES
Cotas Juniors is the second Bolivian team from the city of Santa Cruz to win a continental club title in the Southern Zone. Their predecessor was CRE, who in the 2006 tournament in Rosario, Argentina, also defeated a Paraguayan opponent, then Fomento de Barrio Obrero.
The edition of the continental club competition that concluded yesterday at the Sol de América club's sports complex is the 45th. This tournament has the longest history of any competition, having been held since its inception in Asunción during Holy Week in 1970. It was held at the famous Comuneros stadium in the Paraguayan capital and was won by Palmeiras of São Paulo, Brazil, who defeated the Paraguayan champion of that season, Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes (YMCA).
The team with the most continental club titles in the South American region is Rubio Ñu from Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay, which won the tournaments in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 (P), and 2002 (P). The last two were in a different format, a unified Pan-American tournament.
Cover photo: Cotas Juniors, undefeated champion (3 wins, one by penalties and 2 draws)
