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| Internacional: Champions of South America |
| Brazilian soccer team wins Copa Toyota Libertadores da America for the first time |
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Guilherme Lopes Neves (dazideia)  |
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Published 2006-08-17 19:27 (KST) |
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Red has taken over South America and it has nothing to do with politics. At noon, a whistle ended the game between Sao Paulo and Internacional, two Brazilian soccer teams playing in the Toyota Libertadores da America Cup (Liberators of America Cup) finals.
The setting was the Beira-Rio stadium, home of the red shirt Internacional, under a cold, rainy sky at Porto Alegre, in southern Brazil.
The score (2-2) gave Internacional a title never won for the club, champion of South America, after almost 100 years of club history. It also gives Internacional a chance to win the next FIFA Club World Championship.
Now the Brazilian club may play against European champion Barcelona, team of Brazilian football star Ronaldinho Gaucho.
Despite the draw in this game, Internacional won the competition because of the advantage from the first match at Sao Paulo's home, Morumbi on Aug. 9. The score was Internacional 2, Sao Paulo 1.
The last match, on Wednesday, was tense from beginning to end. The red team needed an equal score to remain champion, but it wasn't easy.
Half an hour into the first period, Fernandao scored for Internacional after many lost opportunities from both teams.
About that time, the crowds' cheers and the release of fireworks took over the field, interrupting the match for six minutes.
Starting the second period, Sao Paulo player Fabao found the goal, giving a new perspective to his team. But it didn't last. After 14 minutes, Tinga returned the vantage to Internacional, heading the ball into the goal of its opponent. Tinga wasn't even finished with his celebration when he was sent off by referee Jorge Larrionda. At that time, the score was Internacional 2, Sao Paulo 1.
With one less player, Internacional tried to preserve the score, but 40 minutes into the second period, Sao Paulo's Lenilson tied the match at 2-2.
With the time remaining, Sao Paulo tried hard to make one more goal, but could not make it happen.
Sao Paulo lost the chance to win the Cup Toyota for the fourth time, the club won the competition in 2005, 1993, 1992, and maybe play in FIFA's world championship again.
All the joy went to Internacional and the team's fans, packing the stadium with more than 50,000 people. After the match, the party moved to the streets of Porto Alegre, with cars carrying red flags and bars brimming over with celebrations.
Founded on April 4, 1909, the football team is one of the two biggest football clubs from Porto Alegre, where football is taken very seriously; if you don't cheer for Internacional, you cheer for Gremio. And so it goes, with rivals always making jokes about their opponent. Both based in the same city, Internacional and Gremio have always divided the football fans. Since 1983, Gremio was the city's only South America and world champion.
From being a small group in 1909, the team now has followers all over the world, honoring its founder's ideals. And as many supporters say, "South America is now painted in red."
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| Read more about Internacionale and its history here. |
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©2006 OhmyNews
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