Copa Libertadores: Santa Fe 1 Olimpia 0 (agg 1-2)

Paraguay’s Olimpia have qualified for the final of the 2013 Copa Libertadores despite a 1-0 defeat away to Santa Fe of Colombia.

Wilder Medina scored a controversial goal for Santa Fe in their semi-final second leg against Olimpia but the Paraguayan visitors held on for a 2-1 aggregate triumph, with their goalkeeper Martin Silva making six crucial saves to secure a berth in the continental final.

The aggregate win took Olimpia into the two-legged Copa Libertadores final for the first time since 2002 when they claimed the title.

Olimpia headed to Colombia with a 2-0 lead from the first leg but were penned back in their defensive half for the majority of Tuesday’s match as Santa Fe took 20 shots to the visitors’ 10.

Santa Fe tested Olimpia goalkeeper Silva throughout the match at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho, but had to wait until the 76th minute for Medina to find a way past the shot-stopper.

A free-kick from Omar Perez was pushed onto the post by Silva and Medina got to the rebound first, firing a shot, which deflected off Olimpia defender Herminio Miranda and onto the bar, before bouncing down on the line and spinning towards the net.

Despite Silva’s diving punch to send the ball back into play, the referee whistled for a goal and Santa Fe’s home crowd roared in delight as they sensed a late comeback.

But Olimpia resisted the hosts for the final quarter of an hour to keep their hopes of a fourth Copa Libertadores title alive.

Olimpia will face the winner of Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys’ clash with Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro in the final, with the Argentines leading 2-0 on aggregate ahead of the second leg in Brazil.