Enero 05, 2021-9.37 pm
Agencia AFP
Brazilian Palmeiras defeated Argentine River Plate 3-0 (partly 1-0) as a visitor in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores 2020, which was played on Tuesday at the Independiente stadium, in Avellaneda (southern suburb of Buenos Aires). Aires). .
Rony (26), Luiz Adriano (46) and Matías Viña (61) scored the goals for ‘Verdao’, who have been unbeaten in the Libertadores so far, while River ended the game with ten players for the expulsion of Colombian midfielder Jorge Carrascal (59) for a foul on Gabriel Menino.
Palmeiras will arrive with a big difference in light of the revenge that will be played on Tuesday, January 12 at the Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo, and will even qualify for the next stage with a 2-0 defeat.
The winner of this series will meet the winner of the other semifinal in the very last final on January 30 in Maracana, which the Argentinian Boca Juniors and the Brazilian Santos will be supporting from tomorrow, Wednesday.
Wrong
As expected, it was River who took control of the game from the start, with a dynamic proposition and a ceaseless quest for the wings, with the increase of Casco and, to a greater extent, Montiel.
On the left, the first chance came for the local, in a center of Matías Suárez that Carrascal hit towards the goal, but Weverton managed to clear it, helped by Gustavo Gómez.
Soon the Palmeiras plan was revealed, I decided to wait for River in his field and bet on open balls for Rony and Gustavo Scarpa, open at the ends to try and take advantage of the spaces left by the site.
After about 20 minutes, Montiel returned to sting on the right and sent a cross to the heart of the area, but Borré was unable to push the ball with precision when the Colombian was alone in front of the goal.
Palmeiras’ reaction came shortly afterwards, after Gabriel Menino sent a cross from the right, the goalkeeper Armani did not understand himself in cover with Robert Rojas, made short and hurried away and the ball was served to Rony, who immediately sought the right corner and scored. , after a small detour at De la Cruz.
River felt the impact and was on the verge of raising the ‘Verdao’ with a goal rightly disallowed by Gustavo Scarpa for a millimeter offside, in a sign that the São Paulo team, with far less ball possession, could be much more dangerous than its rival. .
The resident attempted a slight improvement at the end of the first half, in an action in which Suárez and Borré failed to connect a closed center, and Nacho Fernández burst the bar from a free kick.
Judgment
But the game changed hands for good in the second half, with a lively, intelligent and squatting Palmeiras, taking note of every mistake and making the most of every opportunity.
Rony warned with a very quick counterattack that he failed to define with precision, and on the next action, Luiz Adriano escaped from the center of the field, beat Paraguayan Robert Rojas’ weak spot and shot the ball to the net in between. Armani legs to increase distances.
The game was even more open, with River discounting a header from Borré struggling to eliminate Weverton and Carrascal’s forehead hitting the crossbar.
Frustrated, Carrascal got angry and kicked Gabriel Menino, for which he saw the direct red card, and from the free kick of that action came the third visitors goal, with a great left-handed cross from Gustavo Scarpa that headed in Matías Viña. high to get the ball out of Armani’s hands.
There was half an hour to go, but all that was missing was good for Palmeiras, who could have enlarged in a crossed right hand by Breno and in a counterattack by Gabriel Menino who forced a good save from River’s goalkeeper.
Astonished and amazed, the red belt team showed its worst face at the least auspicious moment, with a series of mistakes that Palmeiras made him pay dearly, and so the Brazilian team took a huge step towards the final in search of his fifth final and again the trophy he won for the only time almost 22 years ago, in 1999.
e tomorrow Wednesday.