Flamengo reach Libertadores U20 final with two stunners | OneFootball

With goals from Ryan Roberto and Pablo Lúcio, Flamengo defeated Olimpia (PAR) 2-1

Just one step away from the treble! Flamengo is in yet another Libertadores U-20 final, their third in a row. The spot in the final was secured after a 2-1 victory over Olimpia (PAR) this Thursday (19th), at Estadio Banco Guayaquil, in Quito, Ecuador.

The goals by Mengão were true works of art. The first, by Ryan Roberto, came from a beautiful solo play, mixing strength and skill. The second was a rare moment of brilliance from Pablo Lúcio, who had just come onto the pitch. Now, the Most Beloved awaits its opponent in the final, which will be decided between Palmeiras and Santiago Wanderers, from Chile.

HOW WAS THE MATCH?

The match started at a high pace, even at Quito’s altitude. Flamengo attacked, and Olimpia counterattacked. That was the tone of the match. The Paraguayans sat back, waiting for Flamengo’s mistakes to break forward at speed. With such a tight defense, only the typical Brazilian flair could break through the lock.

At 12 minutes into the first half, Ryan Roberto burst down the right, left Olimpia’s defense behind, and scored a real stunner with his left foot to open the scoring. It’s worth noting that the winger left the field in tears in the previous match against Independiente Medellín (COL), after a hard tackle to his left ankle, but managed to recover in time.

However, at 19 minutes, Flamengo was badly hurt by the refereeing. Daniel Sales blocked an Olimpia attempt inside the box, getting the ball, but the referee called a penalty. Faustino Barone then struck hard into the right corner of Léo Nannetti, who could do nothing.

If the first half was played at high speed by both sides, fatigue set in and the pace dropped in the second half. The period was technically weak, with hardly any dangerous chances for either Flamengo or Olimpia.

Then, some ‘fresh blood’ decided the match. Coach Bruno Pivetti sent Pablo Lúcio onto the field and, with his first touch, the midfielder put Flamengo into the final. After a corner from the right, the ball fell to the number 8, who fired a rocket on the volley, leaving the Paraguayan goalkeeper with no chance, at 27 minutes. ON TO THE FINAL!

WHO WILL BE THE OPPONENT IN THE LIBERTADORES U-20 FINAL?

The other semifinal of the Copa Libertadores da América U-20 also takes place this Thursday (19th). The current runners-up, Palmeiras, face Santiago Wanderers from Chile, with kickoff at 8:30 pm (Brasília time). The grand final will be on Sunday (22nd), with the time to be set by Conmebol.

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