The 2011–12 Copa Argentina was the third edition of the Copa Argentina, and the first since 1970. The competition began on August 31, 2011 and ended on August 8, 2012. The tournament featured 186 clubs from the top five levels of the Argentine football league system. The winner (Boca Juniors) qualified for the 2012 Copa Sudamericana.Reglamento Copa Argentina 2011/2012

The tournament was originally scheduled to end on May 25, but due to the participation of Boca Juniors in the knockout stages of the Copa Libertadores, the final was played on 8 August 2012, with Boca Juniors triumphing 2–1 against Racing.

Teams One hundred and eighty-six teams took part in this season's competition. All the teams from the Primera División (20), Primera B Nacional (20), Primera B Metropolitana (21), Torneo Argentino A (25), Primera C (20), Torneo Argentino B (60), and Primera D (18) competed in the tournament. Two teams from provinces that do not have representation and that compete in the Torneo del Interior rounded out the field of participants.

Primera División

All Boys Argentinos Juniors Arsenal Atlético de Rafaela Banfield Belgrano Boca Juniors Colón Estudiantes (LP) Godoy Cruz Independiente Lanús Newell's Old Boys Olimpo Racing San Lorenzo San Martín (SJ) Tigre Unión Vélez Sársfield

Primera B Nacional

Aldosivi Almirante Brown Atlanta Atlético Tucumán Boca Unidos Chacarita Juniors Defensa y Justicia Deportivo Merlo Desamparados Ferro Carril Oeste Gimnasia y Esgrima (J) Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) Guillermo Brown (M) Huracán Independiente Rivadavia Instituto Patronato Quilmes River Plate Rosario Central

Primera B Metropolitana

Acassuso Almagro Barracas Central Brown (A) Colegiales Comunicaciones Defensores de Belgrano Deportivo Armenio Deportivo Morón Estudiantes (BA) Flandria General Lamadrid Los Andes Nueva Chicago Platense San Telmo Sarmiento (J) Sportivo Italiano Temperley Tristán Suárez Villa San Carlos

Torneo Argentino A

Alumni (VM) Central Córdoba (SdE) Central Norte CAI Cipolletti Crucero del Norte Defensores de Belgrano (VR) Deportivo Maipú Douglas Haig Gimnasia y Esgrima (CdU) Gimnasia y Tiro Huracán (TA) Juventud Antoniana Juventud Unida Universitario Libertad (S) Racing (C) Racing (O) Rivadavia San Martín (T) Santamarina Sportivo Belgrano Talleres (C) Tiro Federal Unión (MdP) Unión (S)

Primera C

Argentino (M) Berazategui Central Córdoba (R) Defensores de Cambaceres Defensores Unidos Deportivo Español Deportivo Laferrere Dock Sud El Porvenir Excursionistas Ferrocarril Midland J. J. de Urquiza Leandro N. Alem Liniers Luján Sacachispas San Miguel Talleres (RE) UAI Urquiza Villa Dálmine

Torneo Argentino B

9 de Julio (M) 9 de Julio (R) Altos Hornos Zapla Alvarado Alvear Atenas (RC) Bella Vista (BB) Ben Hur Boca (RG) Chaco For Ever Colegiales (C) Concepción BRS Concepción Cruz del Sur Defensores (P) Deportivo Madryn Deportivo Roca El Linqueño Estudiantes (RC) Ferrocarril Sud General Paz Juniors Gimnasia y Esgrima (Mza) Grupo Universitario (T) Guaraní Antonio Franco Guaymallén Huracán (CR) Huracán (LH) Independiente (T) Jorge Brown (P) Jorge Newbery (CR) Jorge Newbery (VT) Juventud Alianza Juventud Unida (G) La Emilia Las Heras (C) Liniers (BB) Maronese Mitre (SdE) Once Tigres Origone Paraná Policial Racing (T) San Martín (F) San Martín (M) San Jorge (SF) San Jorge (T) Sarmiento (C) Sarmiento (R) Sarmiento (SdE) Sportivo Del Bono Sportivo Las Parejas Sportivo Patria Talleres (P) Textil Mandiyú Tiro Federal (M) Trinidad Unión (VK) Villa Cubas (C) Villa Mitre

Primera D

Argentino (Q) Argentino (R) Atlas Cañuelas Central Ballester Centro Español Claypole Deportivo Paraguayo Deportivo Riestra Fénix Ituzaingó Juventud Unida Lugano Muñiz San Martín (B) Sportivo Barracas Victoriano Arenas Yupanqui

Torneo del Interior Real Madrid (RG) Riojano

Venues For the final phase, the organization selected 15 stadiums in several Argentine provinces to be used as neutral grounds.

Banfield Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Estadio Florencio Sola Estadio Diego Armando Maradona Estadio Tomás Adolfo Ducó Capacity: 35,000 Capacity: 24,800 Capacity: 48,000 Catamarca José Ingenieros Lanús Estadio Bicentenario Ciudad de Catamarca Estadio Tres de Febrero Estadio Ciudad de Lanús Capacity: 18,500 Capacity: 16,000 Capacity: 46,600 Quilmes Resistencia Rosario Rosario Estadio Centenario Dr. José Luis Meiszner Estadio Centenario Estadio Marcelo Bielsa Estadio Gigante de Arroyito Capacity: 30,000 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 38,000 Capacity: 41,600

Schedule Round Dates Number of fixtures Clubs New entries this round Prize money (in ARS)First round Aug. 31, 2011 9 186→177 18 $20,000Second round Sep. 7–8; Sep. 14–15, 2011 66 177→111 128 $20,000Third round Sep. 14–15, 2011 23 111→88 5 $20,000Fourth round Sep. 21–22; Sep. 28–29, 2011 24 88→64 None $20,000Round of 64 Nov. 22–23; Nov. 29–30; Dec. 6–8; Dec. 13–15, 2011 32 64→32 40 $200,000Round of 32 Feb. 28–Mar. 1; Mar. 6–Mar. 8; Mar. 13–15; Mar. 20–22, 2012 16 32→16 None $300,000Round of 16 Apr. 3–5; Apr. 10–12, 2012 8 16→8 None $400,000Quarterfinals Apr. 24–26, 2012 4 8→4 None $500,000Semifinals May 15 & 17, 2012 2 4→2 None $800,000Final May 25, 2012 1 2→1 None $1,500,000

Initial phase

First round In the First Round, the eighteen teams from the Primera D competed in nine matches. The winners of the nine matches advanced to the next round into the Metropolitan Zone. The matches were played on August 31.

Second round The Second Round is divided into two zones: the Metropolitan Zone and the Interior Zone.

Metropolitan Zone The Metropolitan Zone featured the twenty-one teams from the Primera B Metropolitana, the twenty teams from Primera C, and the nine winners of the First Round. The twenty-five winners advanced to the Fourth Round.

Interior Zone The Interior Zone featured the twenty-five teams from the Torneo Argentino A, the sixty teams from the Torneo Argentino B, and two invited teams. The forty-one winners advanced to the Third Round. The matches were played on September 6–8, 2011.

Third round The Third Round featured the forty-one winners of the Second Round's Interior Zone plus five additional team. The twenty-three match winners advanced to the Fourth Round. The matches were played on September 14 and 15.

Fourth round The Fourth Round will feature the forty-eight teams that advance from the Second and Third Stages. The teams will be drawn into twenty-four matches. The winners of matches will advance to the Round of 64. The matches will be played from September 21 to 29.

Final phase The Final Phase will consist of the Round of 64, Round of 32, Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the Final. Beginning in the Round of 64, the sixty-four qualified teams will be split into four groups. Each group will consist of five Primera División teams, five Primera B Nacional teams, and six winners from the Fourth Round. Each group will contest their matches in a specific location chosen by the organizing committee. The draw took place on October 27, 2011.

Brackets

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Semifinals and Final

Tied 1–1 after regular time, Boca Juniors advanced 5–4 on penalty shootout.

Tied 0–0 after regular time, Racing Club advanced 5–4 on penalty shootout.

Top goalscorers Pos Player Club Goals 1 Ramón Ábila Sarmiento de Junín 3 Neri Bandiera Sarmiento de Resistencia 3 Matías Recio Sarmiento de Resistencia 3 Joaquín Cabral Rivadavia de Lincoln 3 Fernando Benítez Atlético Paraná 3 Mauro Conochiari Sportivo Belgrano 3 Gonzalo Rodríguez San Martín de Tucumán 3 Gonzalo Garavano Atlético Tucumán 3 Source:

References

External links Copa Argentina on the Argentine Football Association's website Presentation on the AFA's website Copa Argentina 2011/2012, Soccerway.com