Lanús claimed its second Copa Sul-Americana title by beating Atlético-MG 5-4 on penalties on Saturday (22/11) in Asunción. The match ended 0-0 in regular time and extra time, with the Argentine side capitalizing on Brazilian misses in the shootout. The runner-up finish marks Atlético-MG's third consecutive loss in major competition finals.
The 2025 Copa Sul-Americana final took place at Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción, Paraguay. Atlético-MG, led by Jorge Sampaoli, dominated chances during regular time and extra time but failed to convert clear opportunities. In the first half, Bernard hit the post from a free kick, while in the second half, Junior Alonso shot over the goal. In extra time, Biel, who came on for the period, received a pass from Hulk free in the box but shot straight at goalkeeper Losada.
In the penalty shootout, Lanús won 5-4. Hulk, Biel, and Vítor Hugo missed for Atlético-MG, while Walter Bou and Lautaro Acosta failed for the Argentines. Acosta, a historic idol of Lanús, was a highlight of the victory, marking the club's second title in the competition, the first in 2013 against Ponte Preta.
Sampaoli, in a post-match press conference, expressed regret over the result: “In the final, being so superior, we could have won. This leaves a bitter taste and causes pain for the fans who came to support the team and deserved a different outcome. I regret that the team didn't capitalize on the clear situations we had. We ended up losing on penalties we missed, and the opponents took advantage.” The coach confirmed his stay with the club into 2026: “I have a two-year contract here. I want to build a long-term project at this club. It's complicated in Brazil, but my idea is to build something similar to what was done in 2020.”
For the runner-up finish, Atlético-MG earned US$ 2 million (R$ 10.75 million), totaling R$ 30.5 million for the campaign. A win would have pushed the prize over R$ 50 million. This is Atlético-MG's third consecutive runner-up finish: in 2024, it lost the Libertadores to Botafogo and the Copa do Brasil to Flamengo.
The outcome extends a negative streak for Brazilian clubs in the Sul-Americana: it's the fourth straight year a Brazilian team reaches the final and settles for second place against Argentines and Ecuadorians. The last Brazilian win was in 2021 by Athletico-PR.
Following the disappointment, Atlético-MG shifts focus to the Brasileirão, where it sits 11th with 44 points. On Tuesday (25/11), it hosts Flamengo at Arena MRV at 21:30 for the 36th round. Meanwhile, Cruzeiro attacker Kaio Jorge taunted the rival on social media after the match.
