Copa Sudamericana is an international football tournament organized by the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), which brings together more than 50 football clubs in South America. It is the second international competition developed in South American territory after most prestigious Copa Libertadores. It is held in the second half of each year.
The Copa Sudamericana Finals 2015, as in they did in 2014, face off one team from Argentina against another from Colombia. This year features Huracán against Santa Fe.
It’s final is two-legged. The first game was held at Huracán’s Parque Patricios in Buenos Aires on Wednesday the 2nd, and the series will be finished in the Nemesio Camacho Stadium, aka "El Campin," in Bogota, Colombia on Wednesday 9.
Santa Fe, which was the first champion of Colombia in 1948, is playing in a final in an official CONMEBOL tournament for the third time. This team has lost both previous times, and after 16 years Santa Fe will again have a chance to capture its first international title, to be among the greatest soccer teams in South America. (Fun Fact: Santa Fe management decided to give 33 thousands of wrist watches to the fan who go to its home game.)
Meanwhile, Huracán eliminated defending champion River Plate, also from Argentina, to get to this point. Huracan advanced to the finals thanks to a road win at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, climbing for the first time ever into an international final.
12 months ago, Huracán was in the Argentine second division, and has since won the Supercopa Argentina: a win that earned its ticket to the Copa Libertadores, the most important club tournament in South America in which Mexican teams also participate as guests.
Later, in January 2015 this team managed one of the 10 places for promotion to the first division of Argentina, and failed in Copa Libertadores. The Copa Sudamericana is a remaining bright spot.
Huracan has had three coaches during this period, including current coach Eduardo Dominguez, and reached the final of the Copa Sudamericana unbeaten. Within its squad are goalkeeper Marcos Diaz, defender Federico Mancinelli, midfielders Federico Vismara with Patricio Toranzo and forward Ramon "Wanchope" Abila.
Huracan has shown to be a great offensive team in large part because Abila has scored five goals. In addition, Cristian Espinoza has scored four goals and Mauro Bogado three.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe, which has always been in the Colombian First Division, is managed by Uruguayan Gerardo Pelusso, who was coach of Paraguay National Team and it has an Argentine star, former Boca Juniors Omar Perez and a regular in the Venezuelan team, the playmaker Luis Manuel Seijas.
Santa Fe has played ten matches in this tournament in which it has conceded five goals and scored ten, half of them coming via forward Wilson Morelo, who is currently passing through a goal drought.
Argentine teams have won seven of the 10 finals that have been involved while Atletico Nacional lost its two chances to bring to Colombia its first ever Copa Sudamericana trophy.
