17 June 1992 - No Cup For Old Boys

On 17 June 1992, São Paulo won their first Copa Libertadores, beating Newell's Old Boys on penalties. It was an appropriate ending, as the only goals scored over both legs of the Final were penalties.

Newell's Old Boys hosted the first leg one week earlier and won, 1-0, with a 39th-minute penalty kick from midfielder Eduardo Berizzo. The teams met at São Paulo's Estádio do Morumbi for the second leg, where the match somehow remained scoreless deep into the second half despite constant end-to-end runs and flowing attacks from both teams.

The balance finally tipped in the 65th minute when the referee awarded a dubious penalty to the hosts. Midfielder Raí Souza Vieira de Oliveira (younger brother of Brazil's legendary Sócrates) converted the kick, blasting it into a bottom corner to even the series. The match ended 1-1, requiring a shootout to determine the winner.

The first attempt fell to Berizzo, who hit the post. Later, with the teams level at 2-2, Old Boys keeper Norberto Scoponi saved the shot from São Paulo defender Ronaldão, but Old Boys were unable to capitalize, as forward Alfredo Mendoza then sent his attempt over the bar. São Paulo scored on their next try, which meant that defender Fernando Gamboa needed to convert his shot in order to keep the shootout going. But São Paulo keeper Zetti guessed correctly, diving low to his left to swat the ball away and give the trophy to São Paulo.

São Paulo successfully defended their title in 1993 and won it once more in 2005. Old Boys, meanwhile, who were losing finalists in 1988, have yet to make it back to the final.

13 December 2009 - The Title Nobody Wanted

On 13 December 2009, Banfield won Argentina's Torneo Apertura despite losing 2-0 to Boca Juniors. It was the first national honor in the club's 114-year history.

Banfield--founded in January 1896 by English expatriates in the Argentine city of the same name--entered the Apertura's last weekend with a 2-point lead over second-place Newell's Old Boys. Of their 18 previous matches, Banfield had won 12, drawn 5, and lost only 1, an impressive record due largely to the presence of their Uruguayan striker, Santiago Silva, who had racked up a league-best 14 goals. A win against Boca Juniors would secure the title, while a draw would guarantee at least a play-off.

Newell's Old Boys, meanwhile, had a potent Uruguayan striker of their own in Joaquín Boghossian, whose 11 league goals made him the third-best scorer. They were home to San Lorenzo and needed a win to have any hope of claiming what would have been their sixth title.

As a riveted public watched the two matches sharing a split screen on Argentina television, but to an anticlimactic conclusion. Both title challengers fell with identical 2-0 scorelines, keeping Banfield at the top of the table for their first national title.