The Bolivian Bolívar beat the Brazilian Flamengo 2-1 this Wednesday in their backyard of La Paz, for the third date of Group E of the Copa Libertadores 2024, they are the sole leader and were one step away from reaching the round of 16.
The goals were scored by Francisco Da Costa (2) and Bruno Sávio (62) and Matías Viña (5) scored.
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Bolívar is the leader of the key with 9 units, followed by Flamengo (4), the Colombian Millonarios (1) and the Chilean Palestino without units. They close the third date this Thursday Palestino that receives Millonarios.
From the first minutes of the game, the Hernando Siles stadium stove began to burn in an unusual way. Two goals in the first five minutes were the coal that both contenders put on the flames, without any shame.
Bolívar vs. Flamengo.
Photo: AFP
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Bolívar opened the scoring after two minutes. The ’10’ Bruno Sávio threw a pass for Da Costa to score the first goal with a header, after rising a little higher than the rival defense. The Bolivians were extremely enthusiastic, but Flamengo brought them down 3 minutes later. The Uruguayan Viña escaped through the left sector and before being blocked by goalkeeper Carlos Lampe, he scored the ball into the nets.
With the early numbers even, both put pressure on each rival goal and the intensity of the game continued without quarter. Nobody blinked, because whoever did, suffered the consequences. Argentine Patricio “Patito” Rodríguez was one of the keys to opening the lock set up by helmsman Tite: he threw the ball, looking for the center back Da Costa.
In the Brazilian defense, the experienced center back David Luiz, former head of the Brazilian team, was also the piece in charge of organizing the last line, and in general, the team saw that the Bolivians were not insurmountable at the 3,650 meters of altitude of Peace. But the game was back and forth, even though Flamengo did not transfer key players such as Allan, Léo Pereira and Guillermo Varela to La Paz.
Bolívar vs. Flamengo.
Photo: EFE
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The players from the La Paz Academy began to show a certain degree of desperation, because as the minutes passed, Mengao stood on the field and calmed all scoring momentum.
Although Bolívar dominated the ball more, each team had similar possibilities of increasing the score.
In the first 10 minutes of the second half, Bolívar rang a bell that warned that one more was coming to his personal account. Sávio beat goalkeeper Agustín Rossi with a header, but match referee Alexis Herrera previously charged a foul. The decision of the Venezuelan whistle left doubts.
Sávio himself pulled the thorn out of his throat to shout a goal in the 62nd minute. He received a pass from Rodríguez and shot accurately from the right. The worried face of trainer Tite, with his arms crossed or with one of his hands on his chin, reflected what was happening in the ‘Fla’ ranks.
Bolívar, the most successful Bolivian team, scored on the rival goal, but their efforts were diluted in the last row. In the final stretch he was able to finish the match, but the third goal was closed.
Even the willing offensive midfielder Henry Vaca entered the field for the industrious Sávio, but the scores remained at 2-1 in favor of the locals.
For the fourth date, on May 7, the Chilean team Palestino will host the Brazilian Flamengo and, a day later, Bolívar will visit Millonarios in Bogotá.
AFP
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