1978 Copa Libertadores finals

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
1978 Copa Libertadores finals
Boca Juniors, champions
Event1978 Copa Libertadores
Deportivo Cali Boca Juniors
Colombia Argentina
0 4
Boca Juniors won 3-1 on points.
First leg
Deportivo Cali Boca Juniors
0 0
DateNovember 23, 1978
VenueEstadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali
RefereeOrtiz (Paraguay)
Attendance50,000
Second leg
Boca Juniors Deportivo Cali
4 0
DateNovember 28, 1978
VenueLa Bombonera, Buenos Aires
RefereePérez (Peru)
Attendance80,000

The 1978 Copa Libertadores finals was the final two-legged tie to determine the 1978 Copa Libertadores champion. It was contested by Argentine club Boca Juniors (which had entered directly to semifinals as 1977 champion)[1] and Colombian club Deportivo Cali. The first leg of the tie was played on November 23 at Deportivo Cali' home field, with the second leg played on November 28 at Boca Juniors'. It was Deportivo Cali's 1st Copa Libertadores finals and the 3rd finals for Boca Juniors.

Boca Juniors won the series after winning the second leg tie 4-0 at Buenos Aires's La Bombonera and accumulated more points than their opponent.[2][3][4]

Qualified teams

Team Previous finals app.
Colombia Deportivo CaliNone
Argentina Boca Juniors1963, 1977

Bold indicates winning years

Rules

The finals will be played over two legs; home and away. The team that accumulates the most points —two for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss— after the two legs will be crowned the champion. If the two teams are tied on points after the second leg, a playoff in a neutral venue will become the next tie-breaker. Goal difference is going to be used as a last resort.

Venues

Estadio Pascual Guerrero and La Bombonera were the venues of the finals

Road to the final

  • Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
Colombia Deportivo Cali Round Argentina Boca Juniors
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Colombia Junior 0–0 (A) Matchday 1 – –
Uruguay Peñarol 1–0 (H) Matchday 2 – –
Uruguay Danubio 2–0 (H) Matchday 3 – –
Colombia Junior 0–0 (H) Matchday 4 – –
Uruguay Peñarol 2–0 (A) Matchday 5 – –
Uruguay Danubio 3–0 (A) Matchday 6 – –
Group 4 winners
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Colombia Deportivo Cali 6 3 2 1 10 3 +7 8
Uruguay Peñarol 6 3 0 3 6 5 +1 6
Colombia Junior 6 1 4 1 4 5 −1 6
Uruguay Danubio 6 1 2 3 2 9 −7 4
Source: RSSSF
 Final standings
As current champions, Boca Juniors started to compete directly in semifinals
Opponent Result Semifinals Opponent Result
Paraguay Cerro Porteño 1–1 (H) Matchday 1 Argentina River Plate 0–0 (H)
Peru Alianza Lima 3–2 (H) Matchday 1 Brazil Atlético Mineiro 2–1 (A)
Peru Alianza Lima 4–1 (A) Matchday 3 Brazil Atlético Mineiro 3–1 (H)
Paraguay Cerro Porteño 4–0 (A) Matchday 4 Argentina River Plate 2–0 (A)
Group B
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Colombia Deportivo Cali 4 3 1 0 12 4 +8 7
Paraguay Cerro Porteño 4 1 1 2 4 9 −5 3
Peru Alianza Lima 4 1 0 3 7 10 −3 2
Source: RSSSF
 Final standings Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Argentina Boca Juniors 4 3 1 0 7 2 +5 7
Argentina River Plate 4 1 1 2 1 3 −2 3
Brazil Atlético Mineiro 4 1 0 3 3 6 −3 2
Source: RSSSF

Match details

First leg

Deportivo Cali
Boca Juniors
GK1Colombia Pedro Zape
DFColombia William Ospina
DF3Colombia Fernando Castrodownward-facing red arrow 57'
DFColombia Henry Caicedo
DFColombia Miguel Escobar (c)
MFColombia César Valverde
MFColombia Rafael Oterodownward-facing red arrow 68'
MFArgentina Angel Landucci
FWArgentina Hector Achilli
FWArgentina José Fernández
FWColombia Angel Torres
Substitutes:
MFColombia Heriberto Correaupward-facing green arrow 57'
MFColombia Héctor Jaramiloupward-facing green arrow 68'
Manager:
Argentina Carlos Bilardo
GK24Argentina Carlos Rodríguez
DF4Argentina Vicente Pernía
DF2Argentina Francisco Sá
DF6Argentina Roberto Mouzo
DF3Argentina Miguel Bordón
MF8Argentina Jorge Benítez
MF5Argentina Rubén Suñé (c)
MF18Argentina Mario Zanabria
FW7Argentina Ernesto Mastrángelo
FW17Argentina Carlos H. Salinas
FW22Argentina Hugo Perotti
Manager:
Argentina Juan Carlos Lorenzo

Second leg

Some of the scoring moments of the match, fltr: Perotti (1st goal), Mastrángelo (2nd), and Salinas (third); on the left, Zanabria (18) and Mastrángelo (7) celebrating with their fans
Second leg
Boca Juniors Argentina4–0Colombia Deportivo Cali
Perotti 15', 81'
Mastrángelo 60'
Salinas 71'
Attendance: 55,000[6]
Referee: Edison Peréz (Peru)
Boca Juniors
Deportivo Cali
GK1Argentina Hugo Gatti
DF4Argentina Vicente Pernía
DF2Argentina Francisco Sá
DF6Argentina Roberto Mouzo
DF3Argentina Miguel Bordón
MF8Argentina Jorge Benítezdownward-facing red arrow 89'
MF5Argentina Rubén Suñé (c)
MF18Argentina Mario Zanabria
FW7Argentina Ernesto Mastrángelo
FW17Argentina Carlos H. Salinas
FW22Argentina Hugo Perotti
Substitutes:
FW9Argentina Carlos Veglioupward-facing green arrow 89'
Manager:
Argentina Juan Carlos Lorenzo
GK1Colombia Pedro Zape
DFColombia William Ospinadownward-facing red arrow 52'
DF3Colombia Miguel Escobar (c)
DFColombia Henry Caicedo
DFColombia Heriberto Correa
MFColombia César Valverde
MFColombia Rafael Oterodownward-facing red arrow 46'
MFArgentina Angel Landucci
FWArgentina Néstor Scotta
FWArgentina Alberto J. Benítez
FWColombia Ángel Torres
Substitutes:
MFColombia Diego Umañaupward-facing green arrow 46'
DFColombia Fernando Castroupward-facing green arrow 52' Red card 89'
Manager:
Argentina Carlos Bilardo

References

  1. La historia de Boca en Libertadores on TyC Sports
  2. 1978 Copa Libertadores by John Beuker and Pablo Ciullini on RSSSF
  3. Copa Libertadores 1978 overview on Historia de Boca
  4. La final de la Libertadores 1978 by Daniela Rojas on Vavel, 23 Feb 2016
  5. Parrado, Por Juan Camilo Rodríguez (2024-11-28). "Así fue la primera final de Copa Libertadores que perdió un equipo colombiano: nada más que en La Bombonera". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-17.
  6. Parrado, Por Juan Camilo Rodríguez (2024-11-28). "Así fue la primera final de Copa Libertadores que perdió un equipo colombiano: nada más que en La Bombonera". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-17.