Internacional makes history with first Copa Sudamericana title

Internacional won its fifth international trophy in the last two years. Itamar Aguiar/AFP/Getty Images

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) -- Internacional became the first Brazilian club to win the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday after striker Nilmar scored in the 23rd minute of extra time to earn a 1-1 draw with Argentina's Estudiantes.

Internacional won the first leg of the finals 1-0 last week in Argentina and needed only a draw to clinch the South American club title.

No Brazilian club had reached the Copa Sudamericana final since the competition began in 2002. The result made Internacional the only unbeaten champion in the competition.

Estudiantes defender Agustin Alayes opened the scoring in the 65th minute on a free kick that found him practically all alone in front of Internacional's net.

With Estudiantes ahead 1-0 at the end of 90 minutes for an aggregate score of 1-1, the game went into extra time.

It was during these additional 30 minutes that Internacional, though exhausted, overwhelmed Estudiantes with a superior and more aggressive game that resulted in the winning goal strike by Nilmar.

Internacional won the title on Wednesday despite playing without Argentine midfielder Pablo Guinazu, who was ejected 24 minutes into the first leg. He was replaced by Andrezinho in Wednesday's match.

Boosted by nearly 50,000 wildly cheering fans at the Beira-Rio stadium, Internacional went on the attack as soon as its players entered the field.

At first it appeared that the Brazilians would easily dominate the game as they applied nonstop pressure on their Argentine visitors. Midfielder D'Alessandro almost scored in the fifth minute but his shot went wide.

Estudiantes quickly composed itself and started applying its own pressure on the home team.

Estudiantes striker Boselli gave Internacional a scare in the 32nd minute when he headed the ball into the net, only to be ruled offside.

It is the fifth international trophy for Internacional in the last two years after it won the Copa Libertadores and FIFA's Club World Cup in 2006, and the Recopa Sudamericana in 2007. Earlier this year, it clinched the Dubai Cup, in addition to the Rio Grande do Sul state championship.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.