The first games of the second phase of Pre-Libertadores were closed this Thursday. Colo-Colo visited and beat Godoy Cruz, 1-0, in a match held at the Malvinas Argentinas Stadium. Marcos Bolados scored the only goal in the Chilean team’s victory.
The first half was balanced. Colo-Colo had a goal disallowed after just five minutes for offside. Afterwards, the match didn’t hold many emotions until the 36th minute, when Godoy Cruz had the best chance of the game. Palacios came face to face with the Chilean team’s goalkeeper, but wasted the chance. Thus, the duel went to half-time at 0-0.
It was 15 minutes into the second half that Colo-Colo opened the scoring. Opazo made a great move on the right, invaded the penalty area and crossed. Marcos Bolados was intelligent and got ahead of the Argentine team’s defense to head up and score. With the goal, the visitors gained life into the match, starting to attack more and value possession of the ball. Godoy Cruz, on the other hand, was unable to create. Thus, the game ended with a Chilean triumph.
🤩⚽ Luxury assist from Óscar Opazo and definition from Bolados for the partial 1-0 of @ColoColo ante #GodoyCruz.
🏆 Ida – Phase 2 – CONMEBOL #Libertadores pic.twitter.com/e69FzMAceP
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) February 23, 2024
With the result, Colo-Colo has the advantage of a draw. However, any victory by Godoy Cruz by a goal difference leads to the definition of the qualifier for penalties. The two teams will face each other again in the second leg to decide who will take the place next Thursday (29), starting at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at the Monumental David Arellano Stadium, in Chile.
Before that, however, the teams return to the pitch for their respective national leagues. This Sunday, Colo-Colo visits O’Higgins at 6 pm. The clash, valid for the second round of the Chilean Championship, takes place at the El Teniente Stadium.
Godoy Cruz also enters the field this Sunday, but a little later. The club faces Instituto away from home, in the seventh round of the first phase of the Argentine Championship, starting at 10 pm, at the Presidente Perón Stadium.
Sportivo Trinidense and El Nacional drew in the first leg
Also this Thursday, Sportivo Trinidense and El Nacional drew 1-1 at Defensores del Chaco, in Peru. Fernando Romero opened the scoring for the Paraguayans, while Tomson Borja equalized for the visitors. Bryan Tana also wasted a penalty for the Ecuadorian team when he went wide.
The duel was marked by great goals. In the first half, Fernando Romero received the ball inside the penalty area, took it first time and hit a beautiful shot into the corner. In the second stage, Tomson dominated the chest, taking it away from the marker and playing for coverage as the goalkeeper left to tie the score at 1-1.
As a result, any draw in the second leg takes the match to penalties. The clash is scheduled for next Thursday, at 7 pm, at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado Stadium.
Sportivo Trinidense will play a game again this Sunday. For the seventh round of the Paraguayan Championship – Apertura, the team hosts Sportivo Ameliano, at 6:15 pm, at the Martin Torres Stadium. El Nacional, in turn, returns to the field only in the second leg.
To the angle🎯! Fernando Romero wrote his name in the history of @CST_1935 🇵🇾 by scoring the first goal in Triqui’s debut in CONMEBOL #Libertadores 🏆#Eternal Glory pic.twitter.com/b8CrSSxsZp
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) February 22, 2024