Sao Paulo failed in an attempt to turn the confrontation with Ecuador’s LDU in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. Defeated 2-0 in Quito 2,850 m last week, the tricolor team again made defensive and offensive errors and was surpassed 1-0 at the Morumbi stadium on Thursday night (25) in Sao Paulo.
In both matches of the confrontation, the Ecuadorian formation, which had already eliminated a Brazilian opponent in the round of 16, Botafogo, and will face another in the semifinals, Palmeiras, was more efficient. The triumph was much celebrated by the coach of the Quito team, the Brazilian Tiago Nunes.
The club that knew how to take advantage of the chances that performed. At Rodrigo Paz Delgado Stadium, in the first -way duel, Sao Paulo had clear opportunities and offered two clear opportunities: he lost 2-0. At Morumbi, in the return clash, had clear opportunities and offered a clear opportunity: he lost 1-0.
“We were in a giant expectation. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen,” said midfielder Lucas, who came to an end, returning from injury. He participated little in the quarterfinals, but offered his portrait. “In the first game, we failed twice, they scored two goals. Today, we failed, scored a goal. And we couldn’t complete the opportunities we wanted to create.”
The official statistics of Conmebol (South American Football Confederation) were illustrative at the end of the first half on Thursday. House owners, commanded by Hernán Crespo, had wide superiority in possession (73% to 27%), corner (9 to 0) and finishes (12 to 1). The most important statistics, balls on the net, pointed 0 to 1.
At a disadvantage after the Ecuador game, Sao Paulo sought to adopt an offensive strategy, with striker Rigoni by Ala, seeking to open the defense of LDU. The story of the night could have been different if, just at nine minutes, in a well -plotted move on the left, Luciano or Rigoni had hit his foot. Luciano stopped at goalkeeper Valle; Rigoni, in the crossbar.
Shortly thereafter, after a short corner kick and creepy pass from Ferreirinha, Luciano failed in the small area, without a goalkeeper. If the tricolor superiority was evident, it was also necessary a goal to set fire to the confrontation. But the goal that came out at 41 cooled the actions and defined the advance of Ecuadorian formation.
The corner was in favor of São Paulo. After the short charge, with an attempt to finish outside the area and a blocked cross-cross, the counterattack was made. Alzugaray gave the attacking field a balloon. The ball was to Bobadilla, but he lost her to Medina, who left Rafael’s face and scored.
Enzo Díaz still lost another good chance before the break. Then Curly tried to move the home team, putting a good side at intersections, Maílton, and an attacker with an area, Dinenno. Nothing worked, and LDU confirmed its classification to the semifinals, for another confrontation with a Brazilian.
“It’s regret,” said Luciano, under boos, in an interview with minutes after the match. He mourned the mistake made in the small area, without a goalkeeper, in the moment he could have changed the confrontation. “By the time I went to finish, the ball checked, I lost the goal. It doesn’t usually happen to me, but God wanted it that way.”
