Red Bull Bragantino reaches Copa Sudamericana final
SAO PAULO (AP) - A tiny Brazilian soccer team from the Sao Paulo state countryside that was nearly bankrupt several years ago has reached the final of the Copa Sudamericana, the second most prestigious tournament in South America.
Red Bull Bragantino beat Paraguay's Libertad 3-1 on Wednesday, adding to its 2-0 home victory in the first leg. Its rival in the Nov. 20 decider at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo will be known on Thursday when Brazil's Athletico hosts Uruguay's Peñarol.
The historic night for Red Bull Bragantino saw two goals scored by Argentinian Tomás Cuello; the first in the ninth minute and the second in the 57th. Arthur, one of the top goal scorers of the team, netted the third in the 82nd minute.
Lorenzo Melgarejo's goal for Libertad was not enough to stop celebrations in Bragança Paulista, a city of 170,000 residents that is more famous for its home-made sausages - sold everywhere in Brazil - than for soccer.
Bragantino is a 93-year-old club with some tradition. It was the runner-up in the 1991 Brazilian championship, one year after it won the then prestigious Sao Paulo state league.
It once counted on top players like midfielder Mauro Silva, who was a starter for Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning team. That Seleção's coach was Carlos Alberto Parreira. But those were the last years of glory for the countryside club until 2019, when energy drink maker Red Bull arrived as a sponsor.
The company took over in 2020, and the club rose to Brazil's top-tier division. Bragantino was renamed and had its traditional black and white colors changed to red and white.
One of the team's main players is 19-year-old playmaker Bruno Praxedes, whose transfer from Internacional cost 6 million euros ($6.96 million). That is the same amount it paid for 21-year-old striker Arthur, who came from Palmeiras. Few Brazilian clubs can afford signing players for that amount.
This year Bragantino had its first big outgoing transfer. Brazil national team midfielder Claudinho, chosen by many as the best player of last year's Brazilian championship, moved to Zenit St. Petersburg for about 15 million euros ($17.4 million).
Red Bull Bragantino is in fifth position in the Brazilian championship with 33 points after 21 matches.
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