The Atletico MineiroBrazilian champion and Brazil Cupwas imposed this Tuesday by 1-2 America Mineiro in the traditional derby of the city of Belo Horizonte, he provisionally assumed the leadership of Group D of the Copa Libertadores and left his rival on the verge of elimination.
The Athleticsemifinalist of the Libertadores last year and who won with goals from Guilherme Arana and the Argentine nacho fernandezleads Group D with 8 points in 4 games and, to stay on top, now depends on the result of the match in which the Ecuadorian Independiente del Valle (5 points) will visit the Colombian Deportes Tolima (4 points).
A victory of Independent away from home by more than one goal difference will allow the Ecuadorian club to regain the leadership with the same points as Atlético but better goal difference.
The defeat, meanwhile, left the America sunk in last place in the group, with only one point, and on the verge of elimination, as it now depends on other results to advance.
The victory at the Independencia stadium in Belo Horizonte allowed Atlético to maintain its long hegemony over its hometown rival, which spans six years and in which it has accumulated 15 wins and 6 draws in 21 games. The last time America won the derby was in 2016.
Although he was desperate for victory at home, the America lined up five players behind to neutralize an Atlético team that played with a dangerous offensive quartet made up of striker Hulk, Chilean striker Eduardo Vargas and Argentine midfielders Matías Zaracho and Nacho Fernández.
With the tactics of the two teams defined from the beginning of the match, the team commanded by the Argentine coach Antonio ‘el Turco’ Mohamed assumed control of the match from the first minute while America preferred to play on the counterattack.
The Athletic defined in the first opportunity he had and, after a play in which Hulk dominated inside the rival area and assisted Guilherme Aranathe Olympic champion winger with Brazil opened the heel marker in the 12th minute.
The advantage allowed the Athletic play more calmly but the muscle injuries suffered by Eduardo Vargas and Mariano forced Mohamed to make two unexpected substitutions.
América took advantage of the rival’s situation to press and look for a tie but, when they did not expect it, Atlético scored their second goal in the 36th minute after a play from the left in which they participated Zaracho and Aranawho raised the area for Nacho Fernández to finish off hard and beat Jailson.
The premises went immediately to the attack and Conti discounted for the America two minutes later after taking a corner kick from Joao Pedro.
With 1-2 in favor of Athleticthe two rivals took turns attacking in the last minutes of the first half to try to go into the break with a clearer score, but both failed to finish.
The Brazilian champion returned to the second half willing to open up a greater difference and went on the attack, mainly with Nacho Fernández, who narrowly increased twice in the first few minutes, hulk and ademirwho took the place of Vargas and also narrowly increased.
In an attempt to reverse the situation, the America coach, vagner-mancinisent Colombian midfielder Juan Pablo ‘Indio’ Ramírez and Paraguayan winger Raúl Cáceres to the field, and the changes allowed the locals to increase the pressure in search of a tie.
With the America Thrown fully into the attack, with three strikers and the young Mateusinho gaining space, defender Éder narrowly equalized in the 75th minute with a header inside the box that forced goalkeeper Everson to save down the line.
The partial victory allowed Mohamed to rest Nacho Fernández, the best player of the match, which did not prevent the Athletic kept dominance and threatened in the final minutes to score goals, but Keno shot wide when he was already alone in front of the goalkeeper, Arana wasted after receiving a shot from the left and Hulk also failed to finish.
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