SAO PAULO, July 3: Boca Juniors, Argentina’s most popular club, won the South American Libertadores Cup for the third time in four years by beating Brazilian champions Santos 3-1 in the second leg of the final on Wednesday.

Nineteen-year-old striker Carlos Tevez effectively killed off the tie when he gave visitors Boca, who won the first leg 2-0, a 21st-minute lead.

Pele’s former club equalised with a long-range shot by defender Alex in the 75th minute but their fightback ended nine minutes later after a brilliantly taken goal by Marcelo Delgado, his ninth of the championship.

Rolando Schiavi added a penalty in the fifth minute of injury time.

Santos players furiously protested the decision, awarded for a vicious, double-footed challenge by goalkeeper Fabio Costa, and in the confusion, captain Paulo Almeida grabbed Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda’s yellow card and showed it to him.

Boca coach Carlos Bianchi, who led the team to the title in 2000 and 2001 and Velez Sarsfield in 1994, became the first coach to win the trophy four times.

Santos, needing to win by two goals to send the final to penalties, made a lively start but missed two good early chances.

The game could have veered in a different direction if a seventh-minute header by Alex had gone in. Instead, the ball was cleared off the line by Javier Villareal with goalkeeper Roberto Abbondancieri beaten.

Santos striker Robinho then had a clear header but missed the target. Diego also had a penalty appeal rejected after he appeared to be pushed.

Boca, who had already come close with a Delgado shot, struck a hammer blow in the 21st minute when Tevez scored with a first-time shot after a quick exchange of passes with Sebastian Battaglia.

Santos, who never reproduced the flowing football which took them through to the final, threatened a fightback when Alex scored with a 30-metre drive which went in off the post.

But they were left exposed as they threw themselves onto the attack and Delgado took full advantage, breaking clear to score from nearly 40 metres after Fabio Costa rushed off his line.

Schiavi finished off the job in the 95th minute after more rash behaviour by the huge Santos goalkeeper.—Reuters