Estudiantes de La Plata scored at the right moment and qualified for the final of the Copa Sudamericana after defeating 1-0 Argentinos Juniors in the second leg semi-final match played in La Plata. Seven days ago, the first leg had finished with a 1-1 draw.
Jose Luis Calderon (61) scored with a header and it was the goal that gave the victory to his team with his first touch of the ball after coming on as substitute. Calderon took advantage of a precise corner kick sent from the left by Leandro Benitez and finished well.
Estudiantes were not the better team and had to survive several scares, mostly in the first half, but they had the away goal advantage and knew Argentinos needed to score at least once.
Both teams finished the match with ten men as Franco Quiroga was sent off for Argentinos, who had only been on the pitch three minutes, while Rodrigo Braña was sent off for Estudiantes, both because of violent foules.
With this chance of winning the trophy, Estudiantes return to an international final after more than 30 years and will have to play against Brazilians Internacional de Porto Alegre, a team led by Andres D'Alessandro.
The first leg will be played next Wednesday in La Plata and everyone at Estudiantes expects Juan Sebastian Veron to recover in time. The former Manchester United man played well, but finished with a problem in his right ankle.
Veron, Calderon and Mariano Andujar were the best players for Estudiantes while in Argentinos Mauro Bogado, Sergio Escudero, Gabriel Hauche, Nicolas Pavlovich and Nestor Ortigoza provided very good performances in vain.