Independiente reach Copa Sudamericana final

Argentina’s Independiente will play Brazil’s Goias in next month’s Copa Sudamericana final.

The 17th-placed Argentina Primera Division outfit earned their final place with a second-leg 2-1 victory over LDU Quito on Thursday.

Independiente trailed 3-2 on aggregate to their Ecuadorian opponents before the second leg, but their two valuable away goals proved vital when the full-time aggregate score was 4-4 at Libertadores de America.

Striker Facundo Manuel Parra put Independiente ahead in the tie when he scored in the 26th minute, but Uruguayan forward Juan Salgueiro Silva equalised for the Ecuadorians on the stroke of half-time, putting them ahead 4-3 overall.

But in the first minute after the break, midfielder Hernan Fredes scored the all-important winning goal for Independiente, to send them into the final where they will face Goias over two legs.

The first leg takes place on December 1 at Serra Dourada in Brazil, before Independiente host the second leg one week later at Libertadores de America.