1985 Copa Libertadores finals

The 1985 Copa Libertadores de América finals was the final contested by Argentinian club Argentinos Juniors and Colombian América de Cali. The first leg of the tie was played on 17 October at Estádio Monumental, the second leg played on 22 October at Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, and the playoff on 24 October at Defensores del Chaco.^[1]

After both teams won one game each (by the same score, 1–0), Argentinos Juniors were finally crowned champion in the playoff match held in Asunción. Initially, both sides were tied at 1–1 after extra time. The Argentine side defeated América 5–4 via a penalty shoot-out, winning their first Copa Libertadores title.^[2][3]

The finals was played over two legs; home and away. The team that accumulated the most points —two for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss— after the two legs was to be crowned champion. If the two teams were tied on points after the second leg, a playoff at a neutral was to be to be the next tie-breaker. Goal difference was to be used as a last resort.

I did not see the relevance of that achievement at the time. For me, it meant only one cup else because our team entered to the pitch to win whatever be at stake (...) For a club like Argentinos Juniors, winning a Copa Libertadores is very difficult. The club is not like Boca or River. And something similar happened when we won the Copa Interamericana. Who noticed that we won that cup at Trinidad and Tobago? Nobody.

— Goalkeeper Enrique Vidallé in an interview with La Nación, October 2020 ^[4]