Peñarol gave the big surprise of the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores and took away a great unbeaten streak at home from Flamengo, one of the big candidates to win the continental title.
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The Brazilian team, which defeated Millonarios in the group stage, lost 0-1 at the Maracaná and This ended a streak of 30 games without defeat at home in the Libertadores.
Flamengo’s last defeat was against Peñarol on April 3, 2019, also by 0-1. It is the third longest unbeaten run by a team at home in the history of the Cup, equaling those of River Plate and Sao Paulo.
The longest unbeaten run at home in the Copa Libertadores
The longest streak is held by Boca Juniors, which lasted 40 games without losing at home, between 1966 and 1994. The second was achieved by Palmeiras, with 34 games between 1979 and 2005.
Taking advantage of a counterattack, striker Jaime Báez crossed a ball from the left that forward Maximiliano Silvera served, still with the ball floating, between the penalty spot and the small area. Like an arrow, before the clock marked the first quarter of an hour (13), there arrived winger Javier Cabrera to connect the ball in the air with a right-footed shot that beat Argentine goalkeeper Agustín Rossi with the complicity of the post.
A bucket of cold water for a ‘Fla’ hoping to shake off its recent disappointments in the Brazilian championship at the expense of a cup-winning team par excellence, but with weapons of lesser calibre than those of the red-and-black squad.
The visitors then made a happy return to the quarter-finals of the Cup, where they had not reached since 2011, when they advanced to the final, which they lost to Neymar’s Santos. The architect from the bench of that runner-up position? The Uruguayan coach Diego Aguirre, once again the leader of the five-time Libertadores champions, who reached the stage that brings together the eight best teams after eliminating Bolivian team The Strongest in the round of 16.
Brazil’s most popular club, which had fielded Bolívar de La Paz in the previous phase, reacted by trying to bring together its best players: Gerson and the Uruguayans Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Nicolás de la Cruz, back after a muscle injury that kept him off the pitch since the end of August.
De Arrascaeta graduated Washington Aguerre as a star when he launched a cross (38) from the right towards the head of the lonely Bruno Henrique and then released a right-footed shot from medium distance. In both actions, the goalkeeper sent the ball to the corner.
Despite making changes to the bench and bringing in some less brilliant players, former Brazilian coach Tite could not find a way to avoid the biggest surprise of the week in South American football, once again demonstrating the challenges he faces in getting the best out of a powerful squad.
Without top scorer Pedro (30 goals in 43 games in 2024), seriously injured in his left knee, and Gabigol, also with physical problems and one foot out of Flamengo, the red-and-blacks clashed again and again with the mirasol defense.
The three-time Libertadores champions will have the chance to win it back in Montevideo, where the series will be decided next Thursday. The team that qualifies in this tie will face the winner of Sao Paulo and Botafogo in the semi-finals, after they tied 0-0 on Wednesday in Rio.
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With AFP
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