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(Video) With a goal by Carlos Garcés (53) and a goal against Pará (69), the Canaries won as visitors against the current second place in the cup.
A dream start was the one that Barcelona, the current Ecuadorian champion, had this Tuesday in its premiere in Group C of the Copa Libertadores. The bullfighters won 0-2 on their visit to Santos from Brazil, in a duel in which they were superior to their rival.
The team trained by the Argentinian Fabián Bustos showed personality, order and above all efficiency, which made the current number two of the tournament difficult. This is the fourth time, of five recent visits to Brazil, that the Yellows have returned with a win.
The last time Barcelona measured Santos, in 2017, the Ecuadorians defeated them 1-o in the quarter-finals of the return. That result put the bullfighters in the semi-finals of the Libertadores, an instance in which Barcelona defeated Gremio 1-0 in Porto Alegre.
Even the heavy rain that fell on the Santista podium could not hinder the good play of the Bustos, who initially gave way to their rival. But as time went on, the visitors took the whites’ pulse.
Barcelona remained cautious but did not lock, and on the occasions when it could, it created danger with rapid arrivals generated by Damián Díaz, Emmanuel Martínez and Byron Castillo, who scoured the area to make contact with Manabi striker Carlos Garcés .
It was in the second half when the people of Guayaquil showed more balance and showed that they were powerful. When 52 minutes had been played, the prize for the bullfighters came in. From the left, Emmanuel Martínez gave a pass to the Santista area for Garcés, who made the stretch of goalkeeper Joao Paulo useless with a strong shot. 1-0.
Santos tried to respond, but Barcelona managed to control the advance of the Paulistas and did not give up the attack.
After 60 minutes, the bullfighters were able to extend the advantage when, from outside the area, Martínez grabbed a shoe that crashed into the frame defended by goalkeeper Joao Paulo.
The Ecuadorians condemned the game at 70 minutes. Michael Hoyos, from the right, set a cross for Garcés, who hit the ball with his cue and hit Pará, who eventually got the ball into his own goal (0-2).
The rain was heavy, but that did not deter the Canary Islands in their game, which were better than their rival, who could barely react and desperately tried to get a discount in the last minutes that did not materialize.
At the moment, Barcelona is the leader of a group that shares with Boca Juniors, from Argentina, and The Strongest, from Bolivia, who play next Wednesday. (D)