Jardim and Flamengo face higher Cusco opener after sole altitude 1-1 | OneFootball

Leonardo Jardim’s only previous match at altitude finished 1-1 with Cruzeiro in Riobamba at 2,754 metres, leaving his side out of the Copa Sudamericana with two group games still to play. Now at Flamengo, he begins at an even higher 3,350 metres in Cusco, Peru, on Wednesday at 21:30 Brasília time at Estadio Garcilaso de la Vega against the city’s namesake team.

According to Globo.com, Cruzeiro travelled after three straight defeats and Jardim rotated heavily, with only Cássio and Fabrício Bruno kept from his regular XI. The plan to dominate the ball worked defensively, yet a 0-0 first half brought no shot on target as both Bolasie efforts were blocked.

The game opened up after the interval. Orejuela scored on 53 minutes, and Lautaro Díaz levelled seven minutes later. Mushuc Runa finished ahead on shots, 11-7, and corners, 4-2.

That draw confirmed Cruzeiro’s elimination. Post-match, Jardim played down the exit, saying the target was to reach the Libertadores in future.

He went on to secure Libertadores qualification before leaving the club at year’s end for personal reasons.

Looking to Cusco, Jardim has noted that altitude speeds up the ball and favours direct play, so Flamengo must keep it on the deck, stay alert to long-range attempts and set pieces, and tweak selection for the conditions rather than Maracanã rhythms. He voiced those points after Sunday’s 3-1 win over Santos, stressing that nothing comes easy and the aim is to make the game feel simple.

Source: Globo.com