SOUTH AMERICAN. –
Liga Deportiva Universitaria and Ñublense from Chile played the second leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana. Despite being defeated 3-2 on their own ground, the whites managed to advance to the quarterfinals of the Conmebol tournament.
A superlative Sebas González celebrated his place in the quarterfinals.
From the start of the match, the stadium vibrated with the characteristic intensity of decisive matches. Liga Deportiva Universitaria sought to defend their advantage obtained in the first leg on Chilean soil, where they had achieved a victory by the slightest difference. However, Ñublense was aggressive and determined to reverse the situation. The first half was full of emotion, with the hosts opening the scoring. The albos were superior in the first 45 minutes. However, Ñublense took advantage of some defensive inattentions and managed to establish an advantage that they maintained until the final whistle. The global score was tied 3-3, thus forcing a definition by penalties, it was here where the role of the fans who came in large numbers to Rodrigo Paz Delgado, played an important role, making the rival feel the pressure. Liga Deportiva Universitaria demonstrated amazing effectiveness from 12 steps, converting their shots with surgical precision. Paolo Guerrero, Sebastián González, Lisandro Alzugaray, and Leonel Quiñónez were fine in their collections. The outstanding figure was undoubtedly the World Cup goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez, who showed his hierarchy under the three posts by saving two penalties. The Ecuadorian “King of Cups” managed to advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa Sudamericana, a goal that exalts his record in international competitions. Liga Deportiva Universitaria is the only Ecuadorian team that keeps its participation in Conmebol competitions alive in 2023. The next test for LDU will be to face a South American giant, São Paulo, in the quarterfinals. The Brazilian team, led by figures like James Rodríguez, presents a major challenge. However, the Ecuadorian team has also shown to be a team of respect and that knows how to play these games.