1968 Copa Libertadores

1968 Copa Libertadores
1968 Copa Libertadores de América
1968 Copa Libertadores da América
Tournament details
DatesJanuary 27 - May 16
Teams21 (from 10 confederations)
Final positions
ChampionsArgentina Estudiantes (LP) (1st title)
Runners-upBrazil Palmeiras
Tournament statistics
Matches played93
Goals scored230 (2.47 per match)
Top scorer(s)Brazil Tupãzinho (11 goals)
1967
1969

The 1968 Copa Libertadores was the ninth edition of the Copa Libertadores, South America's premier association football competition. It was played between January 27 and May 16. A record 21 teams participated in this edition.

This edition brought the explosive debut of a humble team from the city of La Plata, capital of the Buenos Aires province, that did not find itself in the plateau of Argentine football. Estudiantes de La Plata, an authentic stranger in the highest levels of South American football, surpassed all expectations as they eliminated defending champions Racing and Independiente (two denominated "great" ones in Argentina as well as each having already won the tournament before).

With a talented prospect by the name of Juan Ramón Verón, the pincharatas beat Palmeiras 2–0 in a playoff after the final series finished 2–2 on points. Estudiantes conquered the title with an original style which emphasized athleticism and strategic preparation.

Qualified teams

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Country Team Qualification method
CONMEBOL
1 berth
Racing 1967 Copa Libertadores de América winners
 Argentina
2 berths
Independiente 1967 Primera División champion
Estudiantes 1967 Primera División runner-up
 Bolivia
2 berths
Jorge Wilstermann 1967 Torneo Nacional champion
Always Ready 1967 Torneo Nacional runner-up
 Brazil
2 berths
Palmeiras 1967 Taça Brasil champion
Náutico 1967 Taça Brasil runner-up
 Chile
2 berths
Universidad de Chile 1967 Primera División champion
Universidad Católica 1967 Primera División runner-up
 Colombia
2 berths
Deportivo Cali 1967 Campeonato Profesional champion
Millonarios 1967 Campeonato Profesional runner-up
 Ecuador
2 berths
El Nacional 1967 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A champion
Emelec 1967 Campeonato Ecuatoriano de Fútbol Serie A runner-up
 Paraguay
2 berths
Guaraní 1967 Primera División champion
Libertad 1967 Primera División runner-up
 Peru
2 berths
Universitario 1967 Torneo Descentralizado champion
Sporting Cristal 1967 Torneo Descentralizado runner-up
 Uruguay
2 berths
Peñarol 1967 Primera División champion
Nacional 1967 Primera División runner-up
 Venezuela
2 berths
Deportivo Portugués 1967 Primera División Venezolana champion
Deportivo Galicia 1967 Primera División Venezolana runner-up

Draw

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The champions and runners-up of each football association were drawn into the same group along with another football association's participating teams. Three clubs from Argentina competed as Racing was champion of the 1967 Copa Libertadores. They entered the tournament in the semifinals.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5

Tie-breaking criteria

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At each stage of the tournament teams receive 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. If two or more teams were equal on points, the following criteria was to be applied to determine the ranking in the group stage:

  1. a one-game playoff;
  2. superior goal difference;
  3. draw of lots.

First round

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Twenty teams were drawn into five groups of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top two teams in each group advanced to the Second round. Racing, the title holders, had a bye to the semifinals.

Key to colors in group tables
Group winners and runners-up advanced to the Second round

Group 1

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Argentina Estudiantes 6 5 1 0 12 3 +9 11
Argentina Independiente 6 2 1 3 8 10 -2 5
Colombia Deportivo Cali 6 2 1 3 6 10 -4 5
Colombia Millonarios 6 1 1 4 6 9 -3 3
Independiente Argentina2 – 4Argentina Estudiantes
Bernao
Artime
Ribaudo
Echecopar
Verón


Millonarios Colombia0 – 1Argentina Estudiantes
Flores

Deportivo Cali Colombia1 – 0Argentina Independiente
Iroldo

Deportivo Cali Colombia1 – 2Argentina Estudiantes
Manera o.g.' Bilardo
Echecopar




Estudiantes Argentina0 – 0Colombia Millonarios


Deportivo Cali Colombia1 – 0Colombia Millonarios
Ferreira


Second
place playoff
Independiente Argentina3 – 2Colombia Deportivo Cali
Pastoriza
Bernao
Artime
Iroldo
Sánchez

Group 2

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Peru Universitario 6 3 3 0 17 4 +13 9
Peru Sporting Cristal 6 3 3 0 11 5 +6 9
Bolivia Jorge Wilstermann 6 2 1 3 5 8 -3 5
Bolivia Always Ready 6 0 1 5 2 18 -16 1



Jorge Wilstermann Bolivia0 – 0Peru Universitario


Universitario Peru1 – 1Peru Sporting Cristal
Challe Aquije




Universitario Peru6 – 0Bolivia Always Ready
Flores
Lobatón
Rojas
Staukas o.g.'


Always Ready Bolivia0 – 1
[A]
Bolivia Jorge Wilstermann
Cabrera

Group 3

[edit]
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Chile Universidad Católica 6 4 1 1 11 7 +4 9
Ecuador Emelec 6 2 3 1 5 4 +1 7
Ecuador El Nacional 6 2 1 3 5 6 -1 5
Chile Universidad de Chile 6 1 1 4 6 10 -4 3
Emelec Ecuador0 – 0Ecuador El Nacional



Emelec Ecuador1 – 2Chile Universidad Católica
Echeverría Isella
Gallardo




Universidad de Chile Chile0 – 0Ecuador Emelec

Universidad Católica Chile1 – 1Ecuador Emelec
Sarnari Sosa

Universidad de Chile Chile1 – 0Ecuador El Nacional
Campos


El Nacional Ecuador0 – 1Ecuador Emelec
Mena

Group 4

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Uruguay PEÑ Paraguay GUA Uruguay NAC Paraguay LIB
1 Uruguay Peñarol 6 3 2 1 8 2 +6 8 Qualified to the Second Round 2–0 1–0 4–0
2 Paraguay Guaraní 6 2 3 1 8 7 +1 7 1–1 2–1 2–0
3 Uruguay Nacional 6 2 2 2 9 5 +4 6 0–0 2–2 4–0
4 Paraguay Libertad 6 1 1 4 2 13 −11 3 1–0 1–1 0–2
Source: [citation needed]
Peñarol Uruguay1 – 0Uruguay Nacional
Spencer

Guaraní Paraguay2 – 0Paraguay Libertad
Juárez
Martínez



Nacional Uruguay4 – 0Paraguay Libertad
Morales
Mújica
Célio

Peñarol Uruguay2 – 0Paraguay Guaraní
Spencer

Libertad Paraguay1 – 1Paraguay Guaraní
Ayala Juárez

Nacional Uruguay0 – 0Uruguay Peñarol

Libertad Paraguay1 – 0Uruguay Peñarol
Fleitas

Guaraní Paraguay2 – 1Uruguay Nacional
Ivaldi
Martínez
Célio

Guaraní Paraguay1 – 1Uruguay Peñarol
Juárez Abbadie

Libertad Paraguay0 – 2Uruguay Nacional
Célio
Virgili

Group 5

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Brazil PAL Venezuela POR Brazil NAU Venezuela GAL
1 Brazil Palmeiras 6 5 1 0 12 3 +9 11 Qualified to the Second Round 3–0 0–0 2–0
2 Venezuela Deportivo Portugués 6 2 1 3 5 11 −6 5 1–2 1–1 1–0
3 Brazil Náutico 6 1 2 3 7 8 −1 4 1–3 3–2[B] 1–0
4 Venezuela Deportivo Galicia 6 2 0 4 5 6 −1 4 1–2 2–0 2–1
Source: [citation needed]

Náutico Brazil1 – 3Brazil Palmeiras
Ladeira Ademir
Tupãzinho

Deportivo Portugués Venezuela1 – 1Brazil Náutico
Ramos Ivan

Deportivo Galicia Venezuela2 – 1Brazil Náutico
Becerra
Olavo
Lala

Deportivo Galicia Venezuela1 – 2Brazil Palmeiras
Chacho Ademir
Díaz o.g.'


Náutico Brazil1 – 0Venezuela Deportivo Galicia
Nino




Palmeiras Brazil0 – 0Brazil Náutico

Second round

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Ten teams were drawn into three groups, two groups of three and one group of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Semifinals, along with Racing.

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Argentina EST Argentina IND Peru UNI
1 Argentina Estudiantes 4 3 0 1 4 2 +2 6 Qualified to the Semifinals 1–0 1–0
2 Argentina Independiente 4 2 0 2 7 3 +4 4 1–2 3–0
3 Peru Universitario 4 1 0 3 1 7 −6 2 1–0 0–3
Source: [citation needed]
Universitario Peru1 – 0Argentina Estudiantes
Lobatón

Universitario Peru0 – 3Argentina Independiente
Pastoriza


Estudiantes Argentina1 – 0Argentina Independiente
Flores

Estudiantes Argentina1 – 0Peru Universitario
Verón

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Uruguay PEÑ Peru CRI Ecuador EME Venezuela POR
1 Uruguay Peñarol 6 4 2 0 10 1 +9 10 Qualified to the Semifinals 1–1 1–0 4–0
2 Peru Sporting Cristal 6 2 4 0 7 3 +4 8 0–0 1–1 2–0
3 Ecuador Emelec 6 1 1 4 3 7 −4 3 0–1 0–2 2–0
4 Venezuela Deportivo Portugués 6 1 1 4 3 12 −9 3 0–3 1–1 2–0
Source: [citation needed]


Emelec Ecuador0 – 1Uruguay Peñarol
Spencer


Emelec Ecuador2 – 0Venezuela Deportivo Portugués
Sosa

Sporting Cristal Peru0 – 0Uruguay Peñarol




Peñarol Uruguay1 – 0Ecuador Emelec
Cortés


Deportivo Portugués Venezuela2 – 0Ecuador Emelec
Ramos

Group C

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Brazil PAL Paraguay GUA Chile CAT
1 Brazil Palmeiras 4 3 0 1 7 4 +3 6 Qualified to the Semifinals 2–1 4–1
2 Paraguay Guaraní 4 2 0 2 7 7 0 4 2–0 3–1
3 Chile Universidad Católica 4 1 0 3 6 9 −3 2 0–1 4–1
Source: [citation needed]



Guaraní Paraguay2 – 0Brazil Palmeiras
Juárez
Martínez


Semifinals

[edit]

Four teams were drawn into two groups. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Finals.

Semifinal 1

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Argentina EST Argentina RAC
1 Argentina Estudiantes 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 3 Qualified to the Finals 3–0
2 Argentina Racing 3 1 1 1 3 4 −1 3 2–0
Source: [citation needed]
Estudiantes Argentina3–0Argentina Racing
Verón
Perfumo


Playoff
Racing Argentina1–1Argentina Estudiantes
Cárdenas Verón

Estudiantes progressed to the finals due to better goal difference.

Semifinal 2

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Brazil PAL Uruguay PEÑ
1 Brazil Palmeiras 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 4 Qualified to the Finals 1–0
2 Uruguay Peñarol 2 0 0 2 1 3 −2 0 1–2
Source: [citation needed]
Palmeiras Brazil1 – 0Uruguay Peñarol
Tupãzinho

Peñarol Uruguay1 – 2Brazil Palmeiras
Silva Tupãzinho

Finals

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Argentina EST Brazil PAL
1 Argentina Estudiantes 3 2 0 1 5 4 +1 4 Champions 2–1
2 Brazil Palmeiras 3 1 0 2 4 5 −1 2 3–1
Source: [citation needed]
Estudiantes Argentina2–1Brazil Palmeiras
Verón 83'
Bocha 87'
Servilio 30'

Palmeiras Brazil3–1Argentina Estudiantes
Tupãzinho 10', 68'
Rinaldo 54'
Verón 72'

Playoff
Palmeiras Brazil0–2Argentina Estudiantes
Ribaudo 13'
Verón 82'
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: César Orozco (Peru)

Champion

[edit]
Copa Libertadores de América
1968 Winners
Argentina
Estudiantes
First Title

Top goalscorers

[edit]
Pos Player Team Goals
1 Brazil Tupãzinho Brazil Palmeiras 11
2 Ecuador Alberto Spencer Uruguay Peñarol 10
3 Argentina Juan Ramón Verón Argentina Estudiantes 9
4 Argentina Luis Artime Argentina Independiente 6
5 Argentina Felipe Ribaudo Argentina Estudiantes 6
6 Paraguay Víctor Domingo Juárez Paraguay Guaraní 6
Peru D. Flores Peru Universitario 6
Argentina Juan Carlos Sarnari Chile Universidad Católica 6
9 Brazil Servílio Brazil Palmeiras 5
Peru Alberto Gallardo Peru Sporting Cristal 5

Footnotes

[edit]
A. ^ The match finished 1-1, but Jorge Wilstermann were declared 0-1 winners after Troncoso's own goal was declared invalid.
B. ^ The match finished 3-2, but the 2 points were awarded to Deportivo Portugués as Náutico made two substitutions.
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