Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Palmeiras (Bra) – Deportivo Pereira (Col) – 0:0
In a match marred by a lack of urgency due to the advantage on aggregate, Palmeiras held Deportivo Pereira to a goalless draw at Allianz Parque, securing a place in the Libertadores semi-finals for the fourth year running.
After triumphing 4-0 in the first leg in Pereira
in Colombia, Palmeiras managed to maintain their lead despite a lukewarm performance at home.
In the match, Palmeiras tried out a new formation, with a 3-5-2 formation, but struggled to show any attacking power. Deportivo Pereira, on the other hand, showed a resilient defensive stance and even managed to threaten with sporadic chances. Colombian goalkeeper Quintana stood out with some crucial saves – in the first minute Murilo headed the ball into the net and in the 17th minute his teammate José López had a good shot.
In the first half, home goalkeeper Veveron saved shots from Bocanegra and Zuluaga and, in the 45th minute, Rodriguez hit the post.
In the 72nd minute, Palmeiras’ top scorer in the competition, Arthur, could have scored his sixth goal, but he hit the crossbar. The visitors spent the last quarter of an hour trailing. Juan Quintero received two yellow cards in three minutes, but Palmeiras were unable to take advantage of their numerical advantage.
By the way, this was Palmeiras’ 232nd game in the Copa Libertadores. It is interesting to note that during this period, the club scored 450 goals in the tournament, which is the sixth highest number among all participants. If we talk about the current season, Palmeiras have scored the most goals – 21 goals in 9 games.
For reaching the semi-finals, the club won 2.3 million dollars in prize money. Together with the prize money from the previous stages, the amount came to 9 million 750 thousand dollars.
Although the goalless draw signaled a poor performance, Palmeiras’ earlier win ensured their safe passage to the semi-finals. Their next challenge will be against six-time Libertadores champions Boca Juniors-ARG, who came out victorious against Racing in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.
Racing Club (Arg) – Boca Juniors (Arg) – 0:0 (penalty 4-1)
The 0-0 draw in the first leg at the Bombonera was reflected in the second leg at the Estadio El Cilindro in Avellaneda. Racing initially threatened in the second minute when Maxi Romero’s shot was deflected by Boca Juniors’ Romero. The match showed moments of attacking prowess from both teams, but neither managed to score during the game.
As the game remained goalless, the result was decided on penalties. Boca goalkeeper Sergio Romero shone here. Boca Juniors’ Zeballos started the penalty shootout with a successful conversion, followed by Sergio Romero’s crucial save from Piovi’s penalty for Racing. Janson scored Boca’s second goal and Quintero replied for Racing. Cavani extended Boca’s lead and then Romero’s save from Sigali’s penalty tipped the scales even further in Boca’s favor. Rojo’s successful penalty for Boca ultimately secured their place in the semi-finals.
The first leg will take place on September 25 or 27 at the Bombonera and the second leg on October 2 or 4 at Allianz Parque.