Independiente Rivadavia, from Mendoza, won the Copa Argentina for the first time, defeating Argentinos Juniors 5-3 on penalties, on Wednesday (5), after a 2-2 draw in regular time. The victory also guaranteed direct qualification for the group stage of the 2026 Copa Libertadores.
Thus, La Lepra, as the team is known, will make its debut in the main club competition of Conmebol (South American Football Confederation), joining Platense, champion of the Apertura Tournament, and Rosario Central, leader of the general classification.
In a final played at the Monumental Presidente Perón stadium, in Córdoba, in front of around 25 thousand spectators, Independiente Rivadavia won the most important title in its history.
Colombian Sebastián Villa, who had already been River Plate’s executioner in the semi-finals, sealed the victory by converting the fifth and final penalty with a powerful and low shot, unstoppable for goalkeeper Sergio “Chiquito” Romero.
Independiente Rivadavia had already shown potential in regulation time, opening the scoring with a header from Paraguayan striker Alex Arce, in the 9th minute, and the situation looked even more favorable when Matías Fernández increased the lead, in the 17th minute of the second half.
But the team, which was already one player down after Amarfil’s expulsion, in the 41st minute of the first half, had to resist pressure from Argentinos Juniors, who quickly reduced the score with Alan Lescano, in the 18th minute of the second half.
In stoppage time, Independiente Rivadavia suffered another expulsion, from Alejo Osella, and Erik Godoy soon equalized, converting one of the many rebounds in the Mendoza team’s area.
The imbalance in penalties arrived in the fourth penalty of the series, when Gonzalo Marinelli, the goalkeeper who came on in the 89th minute due to injury to starter Ezequiel Centurión, saved Tomás Molina’s penalty.
Then, Villa didn’t hesitate and sealed the title for the Mendocino team.
“We improved throughout the tournament”, highlighted the Colombian winger, a key player in the team in the Copa Argentina, with four goals.
Independiente Rivadavia succeeds Central Córdoba de Santiago del Estero in the history of tournament winners, and is the ninth champion, with Boca Juniors as the biggest winner, with four wins.
