Plata sent off after foul, Flamengo miss key player in Argentina | OneFootball

With One Man Down, Estudiantes Took Advantage to Cut Flamengo's Lead

The refereeing on Thursday (18th) prevented Flamengo from leaving the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals with a comfortable lead. This is because forward Gonzalo Plata was unfairly sent off, leaving the Rubro-Negro with one player less.

Flamengo was leading 2-0 when Gonzalo Plata was kicked near the Estudiantes de La Plata (ARG) penalty area. The Flamengo forward fell to the ground in pain, and instead of punishing Facundo Rodríguez, the referee gave a second yellow card to the Ecuadorian.

Why Wasn't There VAR?

Since it was a yellow card, the play does not meet the criteria for VAR review. Thus, Flamengo had to play with a numerical disadvantage, and Estudiantes took the opportunity to reduce the deficit on the scoreboard.

Because of the sending off, Flamengo will not have Plata available for the return leg on Thursday (25th). However, the Rubro-Negro takes the advantage of being able to draw in Argentina to advance in the Libertadores.

What Else Did the Refereeing Get Wrong?

In addition to Plata's sending off, Samuel Lino was brought down inside the Estudiantes penalty area in the first half. However, the referee did not award a penalty and was not even called by the VAR booth to review the play.

Who Scored the Goals?

Flamengo opened the scoring with a lightning-fast goal from Pedro and extended their lead with Varela. However, Estudiantes responded with a shot that deflected off Léo Pereira. Thus, the match report records it as an own goal by the Flamengo defender.

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