Botafogo 3 Atlético Mineiro 1.
For the vast horde of Botafogo fans who made the trip to Buenos Aires this was an ‘I was there’ moment, as they witnessed their team win their first major international club title after some 120 years of existence.
Going into this all-Brazilian clash, the fourth in five years, Fogo were solid favourites being top of Serie A and on course for a famous double.
But, as is often the case in South America, things don’t always go to plan.
Within a minute the script was torn up after Gregore received a red card for a high boot on Argentine Fausto Vera.
Vera eventually recovered as the Fogo midfielder took the inevitable walk of shame.
That meant the team from Rio backing off and Atletico probing with the vastly experienced Hulk often involved with his potent left foot.
Meanwhile Savarino was the first to produce an effort for the ten-men.
Then the highly rated Henrique delivered the moments that really decided the outcome in favour of Fogo.
On 35 minutes, after Atletico had failed to clear a threat down the left, the twenty three-year-old drove in left footed for 1-0.
Within ten minutes it was 2-0 after the winger was considered to have been brought down by goalie Everson just inside the area.
Alex Telles then crashed home the spot kick in front of his adoring fans.
It had been a dramatic stat for Fogo to overcome but they generally kept their opponents at arm’s length before they created those two decisive blows.
As expected, Atletico made changes at the start of the second half and brought on extra striker Chilean Eduardo Vargas.
He would soon make a difference rising unmarked to head in a corner soon after the interval.
Inevitably, that made it much tenser for Fogo and their fans and they saw Hulk soon test goalie John with another of his left foot strikes.
But, apart from a series of corners, that was one of the only times the team from Belo Horizonte went close.
The pattern was mostly one-way but without additional serious threats to John.
And as the minutes ticked down, with some of the Botafogo fans hiding their eyes, the Rio giants broke away and substitute Junior Santos forced in a third from close range.
That set off the manic celebrations.
It had been history in the making and a major triumph for Artur Jorge who became head coach only in April this year.
The Portuguese has been a revelation in Brazil, having previously played and coached mainly at Braga.
But now he will be a legend, even more than normal having engineered a victory with ten men playing for over ninety minutes.
That leaves Fogo with two games to clinch the Brazilian title and an incredible double.
While for Atletico, and their Argentine coach Gabriel Milito it was a sobering defeat made worse by having that man advantage for so long against their countrymen.
As in Asuncion, so in Buenos Aires, South America delivers passion and emotion.
Report from Buenos Aires – John Bethell