Deportivo Cuenca stuns Brazilian powerhouse Santos FC in first round of Copa Sudamericana

Deportivo Cuenca surprised São Paulo’s Santos FC Wednesday night in Alejandro Serrano Aguilar Stadium in the first round of Copa Sudamericana play. The 1-0 win against the perennial South American champions came on an Olympic corner kick by Cuenca striker Lucas Mancinelli in the 59th minute.

Cuenca’s Lucas Mancinelli celebrates his Olympic corner kick goal Wednesday night at Alejandro Serrano Aguilar Stadium.

Extremely rare in football, Mancinelli’s kick curved into the goal without being touched by a player from either team. Santos’ goalie Gabriel Brazão was able to get a hand on the ball as it crossed the goal line but could not stop it.

Cuenca’s next Copa Sudamericana game will be against San Lorenzo at Pedro Bidegain Stadium in Buenos Aires Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. It will be the first time Cuenca has played in Argentina.

Although Santos’ stars Neymar Junior and Gabriel Barbosa were recovering from injuries and did not make the trip, Cuenca coach Jorge Celico said Santos was still “loaded with talent” and boasted a roster with some of the best players in South America. “Our men played with great heart against a great opponent, denying Santos scoring chances and creating opportunities of our own,” he said in a post-game interview. He added: “This is the team that Pele built and it was an honor to play them.”

Alejandro Ortiz, a member of the Deportivo Cuenca Board of Directors, called the win over Santos the team’s “most important” since Cuenca beat Argentina’s Boca Juniors in 2009 in Copa Libertadores competition.