Epic in capital letters at the Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo. The palm treescurrent two-time champion Libertadores Cupresisted with two players less in regulation time and advanced this Wednesday to the semifinals in the penalty shootout 6-5 against Atletico Mineiro.
In a Brazilian clash full of tension, the team led by the Portuguese Abel Ferreira was supported by the immeasurable figure of their goalkeeper, the Brazilian international Wéverton, who stopped the decisive maximum penalty to the side Rubens.
They have been the two toughest games for the team from São Paulo so far in the competition. They tied 2-2 in extremis in the first leg and tonight held on 0-0 in front of their fans, after Danilo (m.29) and Gustavo Scarpa (m.81) were sent off for a direct red card. Athletico Paranaense or Estudiantes de La Plata await in the semis.
Atlético Mineiro lacked forcefulness in the final meters, partly because the Hulk was not the Hulk. The veteran Brazilian striker was far from the best version of him, like the entire Belo Horizonte team, which also ended up with one man less, after the expulsion of Chilean Eduardo Vargas (m.96).
This Wednesday’s game was a show of caution by both contenders. The Mineiro tried to mark ground at the start by pressing the exit of the ball from Palmeiras, who little by little took the pulse of the clash.
Arana saved in agony a low cross from Dudu to the far post before Scarpa’s finish, who would try minutes later with a cross shot on the balcony of the area.
But everything was blown up with the expulsion of Danilo. The 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder entered Zaracho’s twin with the heels of his boot, a reckless action that was punished with a yellow card by the Colombian Wilmar Roldán, a decision corrected by the VAR.
With numerical superiority, Cuca asked his pupils for “head”. The spaces appeared by themselves. Mariano began to become more present in the right lane, although the locals did not fray and held their own until the break.
Hulk (Mineiro) was not up to the usual level against Palmeiras
In the resumption, the same tonic. Those of Abel Ferreira well crouched behind and waiting for a deadly counter, while the Albinegro team was looking for a goal that seemed definitive. He had it on Jair’s head, who appeared only inside the box. Zaracho and Alonso ran into Wéverton, always well placed.
The pressure from the visitors was becoming more noticeable, but they continued to show a worrying lack of success. Not even with the entry of Argentine creative Nacho Fernández and Chilean striker Eduardo Vargas did the situation improve.
Palmeiras would make life more complicated with a new expulsion, that of Gustavo Scarpa, after leaving his foot (and the studs) on Allan’s ankle. This time he did not think about it and Roldán showed the red card without the help of VAR.
In the last minutes sparks flew between the two squads, which almost ended up in the hands. In injury time, Hulk missed a very clear one and hit another one on the post in a center without an owner. There would still be time for Vargas to be expelled for a double yellow card, due to his angry protests a few centimeters from the referee’s face.
The final whistle was a relief for Palmeiras, who finished the tie on penalties to continue dreaming of prolonging their reign.
DATA SHEET
0 – Palmeiras: Weverton; Marcos Rocha (m.88 Mayke), Gustavo Gómez, Murilo, Joaquín Piquerez; Danilo, Ze Rafael, Raphael Veiga, Gustavo Scarpa; Dudu (m.88 Luan) and Rony
Coach: Abel Ferreira
0 – Atletico Mineiro: Everson; Mariano, Nathan Silva, Júnior Alonso, Guilherme Arana (m.74 Rubens); Allan, Jair, Matías Zaracho (m.74 Eduardo Sasha); Keno (m.79 Eduardo Vargas), Ademir (m.54 Nacho Fernández) and Hulk
Coach: Alexi Stival “Cuca”
penalty shootout: 0-1: Hulk, goal. 1-1: Veiga, goal. 1-2: Fernandez, goal. 2-2: Gomez, goal. 2-3: Jair, goal. 3-3: Rafael, goal. 3-4: Sasha, goal. 4-4: Piquerez, goal. 4-5: Alonso, goal. 5-5: Rony, goal. 5-5: Rubens, for Weverton. 6-5: Murilo, goal
Referee: Colombian Wilmar Roldán expelled Danilo (m.29), Scarpa (m.81) and Vargas (m.96), and yellow carded Nathan Silva, Arana, Zaracho, Gómez, Dudú and Hulk
Incidents: second leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores, played at the Allianz Parque stadium, in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, before 40,433 spectators
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