São Paulo must repeat rare feat to progress in the Libertadores | OneFootball

São Paulo will need to do something it has only achieved once in its history in the Copa Libertadores to qualify for the semifinals after a 2-0 defeat to LDU, this Thursday, at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium, in Quito, Ecuador, in the first leg of the South American tournament's quarterfinals.

To qualify in regular time, Tricolor will need to beat LDU by three goals difference next Thursday, at 7pm (Brasília time), at Morumbis.

The only time São Paulo eliminated its opponent in a Libertadores knockout stage after losing the first leg by two goals difference was in 1993. In the round of 16 that year, Tricolor lost to Newell’s Old Boys, from Argentina, by 2-0, but at Morumbis, they thrashed the rival by 4-0.

The match was a rematch of the 1992 final, in which São Paulo won its first Libertadores title. The following year, after again getting the better of Newell’s Old Boys, this time in the round of 16, Tricolor also went through Flamengo, in the quarters, and Cerro Porteño, in the semi, before beating Universidad Católica, from Chile, in the final and winning the continental championship.

If they beat LDU next Thursday by two goals difference, the decision will go to penalties. The Ecuadorians just need a draw or even a defeat by one goal difference to advance to the Copa Libertadores semifinals.

The winner of the duel between São Paulo and LDU will face whoever advances from Palmeiras x River Plate. In the first leg, at the Monumental de Núñez, in Buenos Aires, Verdão won 2-1 and will now decide the qualification at Allianz Parque, next Wednesday.

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