Author: Vishwajit Sawant
In a tightly contested second leg at the Ciudad de Lanús stadium, LDU and Defensa y Justicia played out a goalless draw on Wednesday. Despite the draw, LDU advanced to the final of the Copa Sudamericana thanks to their 3-0 win in the first leg.
In the first half, Defensa y Justicia dominated possession with 57% and came close to reducing the aggregate score. At the start of the match, Bologna hit the crossbar with a powerful shot. Then, in the 42nd minute, Barbona hit a powerful shot from outside the area, forcing a crucial save from LDU goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez.
On the other side, LDU had their best chance of the first half in the 16th minute, when Guerrero sent a cross from the right to Jhojan Julio, but the striker failed to hit the target. Both teams missed chances and the first half ended in a goalless draw.
The second half continued to be dominated by Defensa y Justicia, who pressed constantly with 30 shots on goal. However, they struggled to find the final touch to break the deadlock, largely due to Alexander Domínguez’s impressive performance in the LDU goal.
As the game went on, LDU adopted a more defensive approach to protect their aggregate advantage, limiting Defensa y Justicia’s attacking opportunities.
With this result, LDU secured their place in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, where they will face Fortaleza. The final will be a single match scheduled for October 28, to be played at the Domingo Burgueño Stadium in Maldonado, Uruguay. The specific kick-off time for this exciting final clash has not yet been set.