South America’s most consistent team in the current decade, Palmeiras is again in the semifinals of the main competition of the continent, the Copa Libertadores. The classification was obtained with a 3-1 win over Argentine River Plate on Wednesday night at Allianz Parque in São Paulo.
The alviverde formation had triumphed in the first match of the confrontation at the Monumental de Núñez in Buenos Aires. Thus, the 1999, 2020 and 2021 champion is in the semifinals for the fifth time in the six most recent editions of the tournament. His opponent will leave the duel between Sao Paulo and LDU – in the first leg, in Ecuador, the Quito team made 2-0.
It was a confrontation that began, still in Argentina, with clear superiority alviverde. Palmeiras imposed themselves in the early stage of the first game and opened two goals advantage, with a head of Gustavo Gómez and a kick by Vitor Roque. After the break, the River hammered until at least decreased the advantage, in a fourth martínez kick diverted in Piquerez.
In the second match, therefore, in Brazil, the São Paulo team found themselves with an advantage of a goal that was short lived. After eight minutes, Gomez gave a disastrous cart and foul, charged by Juanfer Quintero. Maximiliano rooms climbed well, on the first stick, and left the overall score of the duel 2-2.
The tension has grown. A truncated game was established, which from this moment on a chance for each team until the break. In head, Murilo stopped at goalkeeper Armani. On the other hand, Castaño found himself face to face with Weverton and, instead of finishing, sought a faint disaster, well marked by the archer.
Even without changes in the break, Palmeiras came back well, settling in the attacking field and exchanging passes. At six minutes, Piquerez had room to cross the left, and Vitor Roque headed with freedom. Armani even made the defense, but the ball offered to Roque himself for the goal in rebound.
By this time, the crashes and pushes were constant. The Palmeirenses asked for expulsion from Acuña in one of these interviews, to no avail. Uruguayan judge Andreas Matonte even showed the red card to rooms, per second yellow, before realizing that the player did not have the first.
From 20 minutes onwards, it was clear the design of the game. Although without speed by the sides, the River sought the attack on touches in the middle. Palmeiras sought to close their spaces, block the opponent’s pass game and, perhaps, resolve the classification in a bid of happiness.
In the end, the best team stood out. On 46 minutes, on a penalty committed by Acuña (expelled in the bid) in Facundo Torres, Flaco López hit the middle to sacrament the classification. Then, at 39, Flaco had deviation in the defender to close the score and make the party alviverde in the west of São Paulo.
