Author: Vishwajit Sawant
The opening day of CONMEBOL Libertadores Futsal 2023 was a good one for the Brazilian teams, as defending champions Cascavel Futsal and debutants Joinville got the campaign off to a winning start.
Cascavel Futsal dominate Tigres and secure convincing win
Cascavel Futsal made an impressive start to the Libertadores, beating Tigres easily in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday (21).
The opening goal of the 2023 continental tournament was scored by Cascavel’s Ernandes, who took advantage of Jhonny’s shot to give his team a 1-0 lead after seven minutes. Before the end of the first half, the Tricolor extended their lead even further when Gessé hit the crossbar to make it 2-0.
Although Tigres managed to pull one back at the start of the second half with a quick counter-attack finished off by Torres, Cascavel responded promptly. Micuim quickly found the net, scoring Cascavel’s third goal and consolidating the team’s dominance. The final score was as follows: Cascavel Futsal 3-1 Tigres.
Cascavel Futsal’s emphatic victory showed their prowess in their tournament debut, setting an optimistic tone for their future endeavors. The win puts the reigning champions in second place in Group A behind Cerro Porteño, but only on goal difference.
In the other Group A match, Cerro Porteño beat Panta Walon Futsal 3-0. Cerro Porteno went into the break with a 1-0 lead and secured victory with two second-half goals. Although possession was evenly distributed, Cerro Porteno were accurate with their chances.
Debutants Joinville win 1-0 against Fantasmas MM
Joinville Futsal came out victorious in the CONMEBOL Libertadores Futsal 2023 match against Fantasmas MM, securing a 1-0 win. João Silveira proved to be the hero of the first team, scoring the decisive goal. With this result, Joinville now occupy top spot in Group B, making a promising start to their tournament campaign.
In the other Group B match, Barracas Central and Real Antioquia played out a goalless draw. Barracas Central had 54% possession with 10 corner kicks, while Real Antioquia had 3 corner kicks. But neither team managed to emerge victorious.
Group C results: Hosts Centauros de Caracas win 3-0
The team from the host city of CONMEBOL Libertadores Futsal 2023, Centauros de Caracas, got off to a winning start. They beat Deportes Recoleta 3-0 in the Group C clash. In the other game, Peñarol and S.S.Bocca shared the points in a 0-0 draw.
The win puts Centauros de Caracas top of Group C. Peñarol and S.S. Bocca are joint second, while Deportes Recoleta are fourth.