Analysis: Palmeiras shaky in Libertadores opener, but response bodes well | OneFootball

Palmeiras opened their Copa Libertadores campaign with a 1-1 draw against Junior Barranquilla in the opening round of the competition’s group stage, in a match played at the Estadio Olímpico Jaime Morón León. A poor start contributed to the result, but the second-half performance left the feeling that the team could even have taken all three points from Colombia back to São Paulo.

If, on the one hand, the result leaves a bitter taste, on the other, the comeback stands out as a positive sign for the rest of the competition and the entire season. With the result, Verdão sit in second place in Group F, behind Sporting Cristal of Peru, who beat Cerro Porteño 1-0 and lead with three points.

Palmeiras come out “switched off,” struggle and respond

Palmeiras took the field with the same lineup that beat Bahia last weekend, still without Vitor Roque and Paulinho, who remain under the care of the medical department. But without much time to adjust to the poor pitch conditions and the fatigue from a run of travel, Verdão fell behind after a penalty awarded with the help of VAR.

Mauricio challenged Rivas, caught the opponent in the box and committed the foul, a call that was upheld but criticized by Abel Ferreira after the match. Téo Gutierrez converted and put Junior ahead.

After conceding so early, Palmeiras struggled to find their footing in the game. The team had trouble asserting themselves in the first half and faced a fresher, more intense opponent. Palmeiras were hurt by misplaced passes and found it difficult to break into the Colombian defense. Their best attempts came from outside the box through Marlon Freitas.

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Sosa comes on and changes the game

The picture changed in the final 45 minutes. With two immediate substitutions — Sosa and Khellven replacing Mauricio and Arthur — Palmeiras reacted and found the equalizer in the ninth minute, with both substitutes involved. Khellven played it in for Flaco López, who flicked it on and left Sosa one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He rounded the keeper and slotted it into the back of the net.

From then on, Palmeiras found more energy, controlled the game and, despite a few scares kept out by Carlos Miguel, were the side that came closest to winning. Lucas Evangelista, Luighi and Felipe Anderson also came off the bench. The latter, in fact, had a chance to score.

Even without finding a winner, the second-half response leaves the team relieved on the eve of the derby against Corinthians in the Brasileirão and reinforces the resilience of Abel Ferreira’s side. However, the result brought an end to their run of five straight wins this season.

Palmeiras’ next game

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