Alvaro Recoba's late winner against Liverpool handed Nacional their tenth Uruguayan Apertura championship on Sunday.
Nacional clinched the Uruguayan Apertura championship after edging Liverpool 1-0 at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Sunday. The only goal of the match was scored by former Inter Milan striker Alvaro Recoba in the 79th minute.
Marcelo Gallardo's side came into the match knowing that they needed to claim the three points in order to lift the title, but despite pushing to the attack immediately from the kick-off they failed to create decent goal-scoring opportunities in an uneventful first half.
After the break the game opened up as Nacional adopted an even more attacking-minded approach to their soccer. While they looked dangerous each time they moved up the field in numbers, they left big gaps in their midfield, allowing Liverpool to break on swift counterattacks, with nippy striker Emiliano Alfaro being a constant menace for their defense.
Recoba, who entered the field in the second half, was by far Nacional's most influential player, as he orchestrated their best attacking moves with his radar-like passing and superb vision of the game.
In the last quarter hour Nacional pushed practically their entire team forward in search of a much-needed goal, as if the score remained the same Danubio, who were beating Bella Vista comfortably, would win the title instead.
But with less than ten minutes left on the clock a moment of magic from Recoba handed Nacional the victory and essentially the title. Recoba outwitted a defender with a classy shimmy before curling the ball around Liverpool goalkeeper Guillermo De Amores with his blessed left boot. The goal sparked the 40,000 crowd to life, as they commenced their wild celebrations.
Having won the first stage of the season with 32 points from 15 matches, Nacional confirmed their place in the final of the 2011-12 Uruguayan championship, irrespective of how they do in the Clausura championship, which starts on February 18, 2012.
Danubio, who were playing simultaneously to Nacional, crushed the ten-men of Bella Vista 4-1 at the Jardines del Hipodromo stadium, courtesy of a superb hat-trick from Diego Perrone and another goal from substitute Leonardo Melassi. Had Nacional not beaten Liverpool, the result would have swung the title into Danubio's hands. But Danubio finished in second-place of the Apertura with 31 points, one point less than Nacional.
Meanwhile, Penarol, who still had an outside chance of winning the title, hammered Cerrito 5-0 on Saturday, a result that had moved them to the top of the table momentarily, with 30 points. Former Juventus striker Marcelo Zalayeta paved the way for Penarol with their opener on the stroke of half-time, before Santiago Silva on two occasions, Emiliano MacEachen and Brazilian midfielder Pedro capped off a dominant performance.
Uruguayan Apertura - Round 15 Results
December 2
Defensor Sporting 0 - 2 River Plate
December 3
Cerrito 0 - 5 Penarol
Cerro Largo 3 - 0 El Tanque Sisley
Fenix 0 - 1 Rampla Juniors
Rentistas 1 - 1 Montevideo Wanderers
December 4
Danubio 4 - 1 Bella Vista
Liverpool 0 - 1 Nacional
Cerro 2 - 3 Racing
Marcelo Gallardo's side came into the match knowing that they needed to claim the three points in order to lift the title, but despite pushing to the attack immediately from the kick-off they failed to create decent goal-scoring opportunities in an uneventful first half.
After the break the game opened up as Nacional adopted an even more attacking-minded approach to their soccer. While they looked dangerous each time they moved up the field in numbers, they left big gaps in their midfield, allowing Liverpool to break on swift counterattacks, with nippy striker Emiliano Alfaro being a constant menace for their defense.
Recoba, who entered the field in the second half, was by far Nacional's most influential player, as he orchestrated their best attacking moves with his radar-like passing and superb vision of the game.
In the last quarter hour Nacional pushed practically their entire team forward in search of a much-needed goal, as if the score remained the same Danubio, who were beating Bella Vista comfortably, would win the title instead.
But with less than ten minutes left on the clock a moment of magic from Recoba handed Nacional the victory and essentially the title. Recoba outwitted a defender with a classy shimmy before curling the ball around Liverpool goalkeeper Guillermo De Amores with his blessed left boot. The goal sparked the 40,000 crowd to life, as they commenced their wild celebrations.
Having won the first stage of the season with 32 points from 15 matches, Nacional confirmed their place in the final of the 2011-12 Uruguayan championship, irrespective of how they do in the Clausura championship, which starts on February 18, 2012.
Danubio, who were playing simultaneously to Nacional, crushed the ten-men of Bella Vista 4-1 at the Jardines del Hipodromo stadium, courtesy of a superb hat-trick from Diego Perrone and another goal from substitute Leonardo Melassi. Had Nacional not beaten Liverpool, the result would have swung the title into Danubio's hands. But Danubio finished in second-place of the Apertura with 31 points, one point less than Nacional.
Meanwhile, Penarol, who still had an outside chance of winning the title, hammered Cerrito 5-0 on Saturday, a result that had moved them to the top of the table momentarily, with 30 points. Former Juventus striker Marcelo Zalayeta paved the way for Penarol with their opener on the stroke of half-time, before Santiago Silva on two occasions, Emiliano MacEachen and Brazilian midfielder Pedro capped off a dominant performance.
Uruguayan Apertura - Round 15 Results
December 2
Defensor Sporting 0 - 2 River Plate
December 3
Cerrito 0 - 5 Penarol
Cerro Largo 3 - 0 El Tanque Sisley
Fenix 0 - 1 Rampla Juniors
Rentistas 1 - 1 Montevideo Wanderers
December 4
Danubio 4 - 1 Bella Vista
Liverpool 0 - 1 Nacional
Cerro 2 - 3 Racing
