Palmeiras are through to the Libertadores semi-finals | OneFootball

Palmeiras has qualified for the semifinal of the Copa Libertadores and will face Fluminense in the next stage of the competition. The first match will be at the Maracanã, while the return leg will be at Nubank Parque. Coached by Abel Ferreira, the team faced LDU this Wednesday, the 16th, and lost 3-2 in Quito. On penalties, Palmeiras won 4-3.

The goals in regular time were scored by Marlon Freitas and Vitor Roque for the Brazilian side. Segovia and Estrada (2) scored for LDU. Palmeiras had won the first leg at Nubank Parque 1-0 last week. In the penalty shootout, Lucas Rodríguez and Segovia missed for LDU, both saved by Carlos Miguel. Lucas Evangelista missed Palmeiras’ penalty.

First half with two goals

First of all, both teams played a very lively first half in Quito’s altitude. As expected, both Palmeiras and LDU tried shots from outside the box, counting on the thin air to surprise the goalkeepers.

That was how Abel Ferreira’s side first threatened. In the 8th minute, Piquerez found Andreas Pereira with a good pass. Wearing the No. 8 shirt, he tried his luck from outside the box. The ball swerved a lot, and goalkeeper Valle got a hand to it. He made a scrambling save.

However, from the corner kick, Palmeiras opened the scoring. Jhon Arias swung the corner into the box. The ball came in low, Marlon Freitas tried to head it, but it fell to his feet instead. In the scramble, he poked it into the back of the net to make it 1-0.

But the home side were not shaken by the goal and kept attacking the Brazilian team. In the 14th minute, LDU equalized. Lucas Rodríguez delivered the corner into the box, and Segovia rose unmarked to head the ball downward, just as the textbook says, and level the score in Quito.

Right after that, LDU threatened again. In the 18th minute, the Ecuadorians took advantage of a lapse in Palmeiras’ marking. Quiñónez got into the penalty area and crossed. On the loose ball, the header went wide. At 21 minutes, another corner caused problems for Palmeiras.

The Ecuadorian side sent the corner into the six-yard box at mid-height and nearly caught Palmeiras out. The ball was loose, and Evangelista cleared it. In the 40th minute, Lucas Rodríguez controlled the ball in midfield and went for a long-range shot, forcing a save from goalkeeper Carlos Miguel.

Alviverde threatened in the 41st minute. Flaco López received the pass on the left, turned past Adé, and with no marker on him, played it wide left to Piquerez. He carried the ball, looked up into the box, and crossed. Marlon Freitas headed wide.

Second half caught fire

The second half started slowly, with Palmeiras managing to control the game. In the 16th minute, Weigandt went down in the box. Coach Gustavo Álvarez appealed for a penalty. The referee waved play on. Two minutes later, Palmeiras tried a long ball looking for Flaco. There was only one defender marking him, but the ball ended up with goalkeeper Valle.

In the 20th minute, Abel Ferreira was sent off (again) for dissent. He will miss Palmeiras’ first semifinal match. In the 25th minute, Piquerez passed to Andreas from the left into the middle of the box. He dribbled past Richard Mina, who slid in front of the midfielder.

LDU gave Palmeiras a scare through Estrada

He struck the ball, and it hit Mina’s arm. The referee awarded a penalty. Vitor Roque, who had just come on, took the ball and calmly converted to score the second. But LDU equalized again in the 44th minute. Quiñónez advanced down the opposite side of the field.

He looked up and delivered a perfect cross for Estrada to head down. Carlos Miguel saved the first attempt. But the ball hit the post and, on the rebound, Estrada tapped it into the net. The comeback came in the 47th minute, again through Estrada. The ball once more dropped loose from a cross into the Palmeiras box. Estrada, completely unmarked, threw himself at it to head home and turn the game around. On to penalties.

Penalties – LDU x Palmeiras

LDU – OXOOXPalmeiras – OOOXO

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.