A hat-trick by Pedro, a superb display by Flamengo in Liniers with a 0-4 win over Vélez Sarsfield left the most popular Brazilian soccer team very close to the final of the Copa Libertadores.
To Pedro’s three goals, Everton Ribeiro added another, but it could have been more for the visitor at the José Amalfitani stadium. Flamengo imposed its conditions from the beginning of the first leg of the semifinals through a flurry of shots dispatched by midfielders Joao Gomes and Pedro in front of Lucas Hoyos’ goal.
In the 27th minute, the locals were able to change their history in the series with a shot by Lucas Janson that demanded goalkeeper Santos. In the following corner Janson himself connected from the header but the ball went over the horizontal.
Flamengo began to weave with pause and precision. And in the 32nd minute a showy combination ended with a cross from the right to Pedro, who burst onto the scene to touch the ball and overcome Hoyos’s resistance.
Vélez was able to react and immediately had an opportunity to level the score with a shot by Luca Orellano that hit the post.
At the end of the first half, a combination between the Uruguayan creative Giorgian de Arrascaeta, ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa and Pedro ended with the surprising appearance of Everton Ribeiro to widen the difference with a subtle touch of the ball at the back of the net.
In the complement, Vélez looked for the discount, but Flamengo stood up well in defense and came out quickly on the counterattack.
In the 61st minute when Pedro, with a precise and exquisite definition before the exit of Lucas Hoyos, scored the third to the delirium of the more than 1,500 supporters of the Rio de Janeiro red and black club.
Already with the third goal, Vélez lost his compass and it was fertile ground for Flamengo to generate three more scoring opportunities.
The lace came in the 83rd minute through Pedro, the star of the match. The celebration of the Brazilians generated the anger of the local players, which made the outcome of the match nervous.
Flamengo will receive Vélez on September 7 at the Maracaná stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
The winner of this series will define the title against the Brazilian winner of the other bracket, which already resulted in the 1-0 victory of Athletico Parananense over Palmeiras, champion of the last two editions of the tournament.
Data sheet:
Vélez Sarsfield: Lucas Hoyos, Leonardo Jara, Matías de los Santos, Valentin Gomez, Francisco Ortega, Santiago Cáseres (m.65, Mateo Seoane), Nicolás Garayalde, Luca Orellano, Walter Bou (m.65, Abiel Osorio), Lucas Janson and Lucas Pratt.
Trainer: Alexander Medina.
Flamengo: Santos Rodinei, David Luiz, Léo Pereira, Filipe Luis, Everton Ribeiro (m.84, Diego), Thiago Maia (m.71, Arturo Vidal), Gomes (m.84, Victor Hugo), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (m. .79, Erick Pulgar), Gabriel Barbosa (m.84, Everton) and Pedro.
Coach: Dorival Junior.
Goals: 0-1, m.32: Pedro. 0-2, m.45: Everton Ribeiro. 0-3, m.61: Peter. 0-4, m.83: Peter.
Referee: Colombian Wilmar Roldán admonished Diego Gómez, Matías De los Santos, Mateo Seoane, Gabriel Barbosa, Thiago Maia and Erick Pulgar.
Incidents: first leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinals played at the José Amalfitani Stadium in the Liniers neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
EFE
