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Expensive mistake from Manchester United's Andreas Pereira denies Flamengo Copa Libertadores title

Andreas Pereira gifted Palmeiras a costly goal in the final
Andreas Pereira of Manchester United
Andreas Pereira of Manchester United

On-loan Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira was the villian as Palmeiras successfully retained their Copa Libertadores title on Saturday.

Palmeiras defeated Flamengo 2-1 after extra time to defend their 2020 crown in the South American version of the Champions League.

Raphael Veiga's fifth minute strike put the holders 1-0 up at the break but the 2019 winners, Flamengo, hit back with an equaliser via former Inter Milan forward Gabriel Barbosa late in the second half to force the match into extra time.

Fives minutes into extra time, United's Pereira committed an expensive blunder which was expertly punished by the very alert Deyverson to seal the win for the White-Green for the second consecutive year.

The match, the fifth in the competition's 61-year history to feature two clubs from the same nation, was a very keenly contested encounter. It looked destined for penalty shootout.

But in the end, it was the Sao Paulo side, Palmeiras, who lifted the title thanks to Pereira's terrible mistake.

Palmeiras became the first club to win the title back-to-back since Argentina's Boca Junior achieved the feat over two decades ago.

Palestra Alviverde will now represent South America in the FIFA Club World Championships slated for next year in the UAE.

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