Colón: first Santa Fe team in Copa Libertadores, 28 years ago | OneFootball

The world of Colón commemorates one of the most memorable sports dates on December 3rd. It marks 28 years since that historic 1-0 victory over Independiente at the Lanús stadium, which allowed the Sabaleros to become the first team from the city to play in the Copa Libertadores de América.

The Colón team, led by Orlando Medina, took an early lead, scoring at 3 minutes into the first half with a goal by Marcelo Saralegui.

The runners-up of the 1996 Apertura Tournament and the 1997 Clausura Tournament faced each other in this match, as River had won both short tournaments. The victory and the red-and-black team's qualification were noteworthy, as at that time, only two teams per country could enter the continental tournament. Now, the scenario is different with five spots plus the Copa Argentina champion.

Colón's lineup against Independiente

Colón lined up with Leonardo Díaz, Hugo Ibarra, Luis Medero, Rodríguez Peña, and Dante Unali, Adrián Marini, Castagno Suárez, Gordillo, and Marcelo Saralegui; Esteban Fuertes and Cristian Castillo.

Esteban Fuertes and Marcelo Saralegui were sent off for the Santa Fe team, while Daniel Garnero and Francisco Guerrero saw red for the Rojo. After the match, Ricardo Gareca resigned as coach of the King of Cups.

Bichi Fuertes broke away on the right at the start of the match, catching Independiente's defense off guard, especially Rotchen, which Saralegui capitalized on to score the goal that would eventually lead Colón to an international cup for the first time.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.