Friday, December 4, 2009

Ecuadorian side captures Sudamericana

We'll discuss the 2010 World Cup draw later today, though if you can’t wait please check out Guanabee’s liveblog of the ceremony.

Care to hazard which soccer team is currently the best in South America? It isn’t a traditional powerhouse like Argentina’s Boca Juniors or a Brazilian side like Palmeiras. It isn’t even a Southern Cone squad like Uruguay’s Penarol or Colo Colo of Chile.


Try Liga Deportiva Univeristaria de Quito.


The Ecuadorian squad cemented their status as the hottest futbolistas of South America after winning the Copa Sudamericana this week. Despite losing the second leg of the final against Brazilian heavyweights Fluminese, LDU de Quito captured the Sudamericana by a 5-4 aggregate score. Thus, the fashioned Ecuadorian side captured their third regional title in less than two years (Copa Libertadores in 2008 and the Recopa Sudamericana in 2008).


What accounts for LDU de Quito’s success? Part of it is their stellar play in the high altitude of their home pitch but there are other factors too:

Liga's undisputed success is a combination of several factors, most notably its infrastructure and the impressive board of intelligent, hardworking people, who had planned meticulously to take Liga to the next level. Leading club directors, the father-and-son duo of Rodrigo and Esteban Paz, have been at the head of Liga's rise to prominence. For years, they've been transforming the club into a South American heavyweight, and with dedication, hard work and patience, they finally have their juggernaut…


The signings this year of Ecuadorian national-team veterans Édison Méndez and Ulises de la Cruz, two experienced players who spent considerable time in Europe's big leagues, made all of the difference for Liga. The fact the club board also kept prolific Argentine striker Claudio Bieler was also important, as he topped the Sudamericana scoring charts with eight goals.

Image- SI.com

Online Sources- Guanabee, ESPN, SI.com

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