Red America

South America woke up painted red. Internacional Porto Alegre finally justified its namesake and won the most coveted continental competition of the Americas, the Copa Libertadores, after drawing Sao Paulo 2-2 this Wednesday (with a 4-3 aggregate score in the final) at the Beira-Rio Stadium. Fans sang, danced and suffered, but in the end jumped, screamed and hugged each other as their local team conquered South America for the first time in its history.

And what a game it was. If one match should translate the meaning, importance and history of the Libertadores, this was it. Needing only a draw to win the title, Inter seemed nervous at the start of the match, and sat back while Sao Paulo pressured forward, needing a one-goal win to force extra time. The visitors should have scored at least one goal - maybe two - before the 10-minute mark, but defenders Lugano, Edcarlos and Fabao missed clear opportunities inside the penalty box to keep an early blank sheet. Inter's goalkeeper Clemer also made a great save on a shot by Danilo, and soon enough, the locals regained their control and balanced the action in the match.

Then, at the 30th minute, Sao Paulo's greatest player in the past few years, captain Rogerio Ceni, failed. He could not hold on to the wet ball after a weak cross from right wing, fumbled with it ahead of a Inter forward, and hit it across the goalmouth right into Fernandao's foot. The Inter forward could not believe his luck, but did not waste his golden opportunity, putting the locals up 1-0 in the game and 3-1 on the aggregate score. Sao Paulo players despaired, and Inter took full control of the game until the end of the first half. Fans could not stop celebrating, and smoke from flares lit in the stands forced the game to be stopped for five minutes.

At the start of the second half, Sao Paulo's hopes were reborn after Fabao scored from a set piece. This time, it was the locals' turn to feel the impact of the goal and fall back, as Sao Paulo regained control of the game but without creating too many clear chances.

But then Inter scored again. Rogerio made a great save on a header by Fernandao, but could not hold on to the ball. Fernandao then moved to the left side of the box and crossed it perfectly to Tinga, who headed the ball into an empty net. An ecstatic Tinga lifted his jersey to show a jersey with a religious message, only to be shown his second yellow card of the game and be sent off.

Playing against 10 men, Sao Paulo decided to risk it all, and changed a midfielder for an attacker, then a defender for another forward. The move almost paid off, as Lenilson scored the tying goal with four minutes left in regulation, after Clemer failed to hold a shot from outside the box and laid the ball out to Lenilson to tap it in. However, despite Sao Paulo's last minute blitzen, Inter held on the fort - including a spectacular save by Clemer in injury time.

The night was red. Internacional had won its first ever South American Copa Libertadores. Fans sang as players embraced and saluted all those present at this historic occasion. Coach Abel Braga wept, clearly unable to hold his emotions after winning his first important title for Inter in four tenures at the club. And what a title, simply the most important ever for the Colorados.

After America, will the world be next? Right now, nobody really cares. The time is for celebrating by Inter fans. They can worry about the future later.