CURITIBA,
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He held it. She suffered it. She suffered it. She regretted it. Somehow she celebrated. That was the cocktail that accompanied the 0-0 draw of Estudiantes in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores against Athlético Paranaense, which will be defined next week in La Plata. At least he is not obliged to discount goals or win in order not to be eliminated. It is not a wonderful scenario, but much better than what was expected in the previous one. Incidentally, he gave a clear sign of being whole from the emotional point of view to continue fighting.
At this point the focus can be put, since the Pincha was a totally different team from what was shown in the last matches for the local tournament. Last night he was a true Lion cupbearer, with enormous dedication and his heart in his hand to run and score in every corner of the pitch. At the worst moment of the cycle he brought out his mystique to fight in the competition that he loves the most.
In the first 45 minutes, Estudiantes played acceptably, from highest to lowest. Despite having very little ball and generally leaving the Uruguayan Méndez too alone, he had the clearest scoring chances that could give him that goal that few expected.
After 6 minutes, with a great assist from Agustín Rogel, the Uruguayan Manuel Castro was left hand in hand with Bento, the local goalkeeper. The midfielder ran a few meters and when he stepped on the area he finished off the left post hard. The ball hit the side of the net.
He did not loosen the Pincha and took him out he played after a few seconds with the ball in his possession. Always recovering in the middle and looking for a counter with Pablo Piatti or with a raise from Castro. Thus came a corner kick executed by Fernando Zuqui. As before, poisoned ball to the point of the penalty, where Luciano Lollo appeared. The central headed winning the mark but the goalkeeper deflected the corner kick.
The first half had a controversial play: the hand that the VAR warned that it was not a penalty
Without being brilliant or discovering the Coca Cola formula, Estudiantes knew how to control a game that was complex in the previous one. And, by the way, he finished convincing himself that his rival is not one of those naive people who give themselves away and by playing the “offensive” they leave space for the counterattack. Paranaense, faithful to his DT Felipe Scolari, feel more comfortable playing against.
The first half had a controversial play that could have changed the course of the game: the play that hit Leonardo Godoy’s hand in the 24th minute after a cross. The winger had no intention of touching her and despite the fact that the referee Valenzuela sanctioned him first, then he checked the VAR and from the room they warned him that without wanting to take up space there is no penalty.
Backtracking and relief for Pincha who, in any case, was not having a bad time as was speculated in the previous one. But that play did not stop the local but quite the opposite, pushed him to look for the difference. And for her it was, with little subjugation but a lot of possession of the ball, which was causing a series of very dangerous fouls at the door of the area. Two of them were committed by Lollo, who played a good offensive game but with unnecessary carelessness such as fouls. A free kick ended with a tumble by Mariano Andújar, another with a high shot and a third with the goalkeeper saving a poisoned ball that was destined for a goal.
Manuel Castro collides with Abner Vinicius and Fernandinho. the puncturer brought a barbaric draw from Brazil / AFP
That’s how they went into the break, with a fair tie in terms of goal situations in each goal, but with the feeling that if Estudiantes no longer controlled the ball, it was beginning to get complicated without realizing it. How much more could he take?
The second half started the same. Athletico, despite his needs for being the local, never rushed or advanced his lines when Pincha had the ball.
It was striking how long it took to correct that tactical drawing. Just averaging 15 minutes, Felipao moved the substitute bench, more because of the discontent of the fans than because of conviction, he seemed.
The second half was so traced that once again Castro was the visiting player who best understood the situation. With speed and behind the wings he always managed to find space and hurt. He in one of those runs that was in goal position and Piatti in a one-on-one that he did not know how to define over the goalkeeper, were the clearest chances.
In the final part, the VAR intervened again, this time to annul Thiago Heleno’s goal
But so much the same that one period than the other happened the same as in the first: the reiteration of faults in unfavorable positions.
And to suffer with the stopped balls and the second plays inside the area. When the clock marked 30 minutes, Zielinski’s team did not have a good time. Not good at all and he needed some variant of the bank to stop the gale.
Then the DT took Zuqui off the field, reprimanded, and made Nehuén Paz debut, overtaking Morel to the middle of the field. Despite these variants, the team continued to suffer, not so much the siege but the feeling of pressure.
The locals had two very clear header chances, first with Leo and then with Thiago Heleno.
And it was the latter, with eight minutes to go, who found the goal with his head, annulled a couple of minutes later at the request of VAR and when even the voice of the stadium had shouted it and the entire venue with its substitutes embraced with its fans.
For the final minutes Zielinski sent Mateo Pellegrino for Méndez and left Boselli on the bench. A confirmation that the striker was not ready to go into action yet.
Athletico no longer had time to reach the goal, which he sought but did not despair of. He could win it, but he could also lose if luck gave Students a little hand. It was a draw, and somehow it’s okay. Everything will be defined in La Plata, but the scenario is better than in the previous one for the albirrojos, who in addition to the good result brought the conviction that they are still alive, with a heart that beats and feels what their fans ask: to leave everything for the Libertadores Cup.
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