Palmeiras suffered a serious blow in their attempt to reach their fourth Libertadores title. This Thursday (24), the alviverde team saw its goal of reaching the final of the current edition become further away by losing the first leg of the semifinal to LDU, from Ecuador, 3-0.
All the goals came in the first stage of the match, played in Quito, where the home team applied pressure from the beginning of the match. Villamíl, twice, in the 16th minute and in stoppage time, and Alzugaray, in the 27th minute, converting a penalty, scored the goals that defined the victory of the team managed by Brazilian coach Tiago Nunes.
In stoppage time of the final stage, the home team ended up losing a player, after Bryan Ramírez was sent off for a harsh foul on Giay.
Owner of the best campaign in the group stage, the Alviverde team will decide the Libertadores semi-final at Allianz Parque, on Thursday next week. On this occasion, the team needs to at least beat its rival by the same difference to force a penalty shootout.
The setback against LDU also ended a long unbeaten run for Abel Ferreira’s team in the tournament.
Since April 2023, when they lost to Bolívar, also at altitude, in La Paz, the alviverde team has not lost to foreign teams in continental competition matches. During the period, there were 24 matches, with a wide advantage for the Barra Funda team: 19 wins and six draws.
With the defeat in the Ecuadorian capital, the Alviverde team also lost the chance to equal their longest undefeated streak against foreign teams in the competition.
The club’s record was set between 2000 and 2006, with 15 wins and 11 draws in 26 games. The Brazilian team also had an unbeaten record of 12 games as a visitor in the competition, until then, with ten wins and two draws since the defeat against Bolívar, in 2023.
Champion in 1999, 2020 and 2021, Palmeiras is fighting to reach its seventh decision. The Brazilian team was runner-up in 1961, 1968 and 2000.
Before facing LDU again, the white team will turn its attention to the Brazilian Championship, of which it is the leader, tied with Flamengo, both with 61 points. Next Sunday (26), the São Paulo team will face Cruzeiro, third place, with 56.
Until the confrontation with the team from Minas Gerais, Abel Ferreira will have to resolve a dilemma: save his players to have a more rested squad for the return clash with LDU or maintain maximum strength in Nacional which, after the defeat in Ecuador, became an easier path for the team to end the season with a title.
