Cruzeiro defeated this Wednesday 0-1 at home Lanus at the La Fortaleza Stadium and sealed his passport to the final of the South American Cupwhich will be held on November 23 in Asunción. With a solitary goal from Kaio Jorge at the end of the first half, the Belo Horizonte team managed to unbalance a result that had ended tied at one after the first leg played last week at the Mineirao Stadium.
In this way, the capital city of the Minas Gerais Stadium places two finalists in South American tournaments, since this Tuesday Atlético Mineiro had settled in the decisive match of the Copa Libertadores after beating River Plate in the series. The team led by Fernando Diniz will go in search of its eighth international title and its first South American Cup to add to the two Copa Libertadores (1976 and 1997), two South American Super Cups (1991 and 1992), a Recoba Sudamericana (1998), a Copa Masters (1994) and a Nicolás Leoz Gold Cup (1995).
The second leg of the semi-finals at the Néstor Díaz Pérez Stadium began with a play after 4 minutes that ended with a goal by Marcelino Moreno for the local team, but which was disallowed due to offside. The next clearest option was again for the home team in the 30th minute when Luciano Boggio received a through pass from Ramiro Carrera and took a shot that was deflected by the experienced goalkeeper Cássio.
Eight minutes later Marcelino Moreno tried a furious shot with his right leg and again Cássio intervened to keep the result blank. Cruzeiro’s response came at the end, first with a shot on the crossbar in the 42nd minute and four minutes later with a goal from Kaio Jorge, who took advantage of a defensive error by Lanús and, after a shot was cleared by Ezequiel Muñoz with an empty goal, He captured the rebound and scored the net.
Julio Soler (Lanús) controls a ball
In the second half Cruzeiro decided to retreat and Ricardo Zielinski’s Lanús had to go out and look for an equalizer to reach the penalty shootout. In the 64th minute Nahuel Losada threatened with a shot from Matheus Pereira that found the saving hands of the local goalkeeper to deflect the ball.
As the second half continued, Lanús rotated the bench and ended up playing with three center forwards: Walter Bou, Leandro Díaz and Jonathan Torres, but could not twist history. Cruzeiro, who with a triple change with five minutes remaining sought to close the result, suffered in the last minute when Walter Bou blocked a rebound inside the area and took a cross shot that bounced off Marlon and went over the crossbar.
Read also
After this victory, Cruzeiro has already qualified for the final of the Copa Sudamericana in Asunción and his rival will emerge from the meeting that Racing Club and Corinthians will define tomorrow in Buenos Aires, after the 2-2 draw recorded last week in São Paulo.
TECHNICAL SHEET
0 – Lanus: Nahuel Losada; Juan Cáceres, Carlos Izquierdoz, Ezequiel Muñoz, Julio Soler; Luciano Boggio (m.69, Favio Álvarez), Gonzalo Pérez (m.56, Jonathan Torres), Felipe Peña Biafore (m.90+1, Leandro Díaz), Ramiro Carrera (m.46, Dylan Aquino); Marcelino Moreno and Walter Bou.
Coach: Ricardo Zielinski.
1 – Cruzeiro: Cassio; William, João Marcelo, Lucas Villalba, Marlon; Matheus Henrique, Lucas Romero (m.85, Lucas Silva), Walace, Gabriel Verón (m.85, Ramiro), Matheus Pereira (m.85, Lautaro Díaz); Kaio Jorge (d.78, Zé Ivaldo).
Coach: Fernando Diniz.
Goal: 0-1, Kaio Jorge (m. 45+1)
Referee: Paraguayan Juan Gabriel Benítez cautioned Carlos Izquierdoz, Juan Cáceres and Cássio.
Incidents: Second leg match for the semi-finals of the Copa Sudamericana played at the Ciudad de Lanús Néstor Díaz Pérez “La Fortaleza” Stadium.
