Gaston Martirena and Adrian Martinez scored in the first half to lead Argentina’s Racing Club to its first Copa Sudamericana title with a 3-1 victory over Brazil’s Cruzeiro in the final on Saturday.
Martirena opened the scoring in the 15th minute, followed by Martinez adding another goal just five minutes later. The win marked Racing’s first international trophy since capturing the now-defunct Supercopa Sudamericana in 1988.
Adrian “Maravilla” Martinez, the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals in 13 matches, expressed his joy after the win. “We suffered until the last minute, but winning a cup after so many years is a blessing. It’s historic. Despite a tough year in the league, we’ve brought this joy to our fans,” he said.
Roger Martinez secured the victory with a 90th-minute goal, while Kaio Jorge scored Cruzeiro’s lone goal in the 52nd minute.
Racing, based in Avellaneda, took the lead in unusual fashion when Uruguayan right-back Martirena sent what looked like a cross from the right flank, but the ball looped over Cruzeiro goalkeeper Cassio and into the far corner of the net.
