The CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2023 closed this week the first legs for the Quarterfinals. Eight South American clubs are in search of the four passes to the Semifinals of the tournament, which will have the crosses defined next week with the return matches, between Tuesday 29 and Thursday 31 August.
In the only match on Tuesday, Corinthians beat local Estudiantes 1-0. The following day, Botafogo and Defensa y Justicia equalized with a goal on the scoreboard. On Thursday, Liga de Quito defeated São Paulo 2-1 in Ecuador and Fortaleza defeated América Mineiro 3-1 in a duel between the Brazilian teams.
– Corinthians 1-0 Estudiantes de La Plata –
Corinthians from Brazil beat Estudiantes de la Plata 1-0 at home, to take a small advantage in the series for the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarterfinals. A solitary goal at 17 minutes into the first half by defender Gil sealed the victory for the São Paulo team.
The rematch will take place next Tuesday, August 29 in La Plata.
– Match numbers –
Corinthians has not lost to Argentine rivals at home in the knockout phases of CONMEBOL competitions since 2006 (1-3 vs. River by CONMEBOL Libertadores). Since then, Timão has accumulated eight undefeated matches at home against teams from Albiceleste (3W 5E).
Corinthians won its last three first-leg games for CONMEBOL Sudamericana (1-0 against Universitario, 2-1 against Newell's and 1-0 against Estudiantes – all in 2023), a streak that it reaches for the first time in the history of the tournament.
Estudiantes averaged 55.6% possession against Corinthians tonight, their second highest possession figure playing away in this CONMEBOL Sudamericana behind the 61.5% recorded against Tacuary in May.
With this victory, Corinthians surpasses Internacional and enters the TOP-5 of Brazilian teams with the most victories in the history of CONMEBOL Sudamericana (18), behind Botafogo (22), Fluminense (28), Athletico Paranaense (28) and São Paul (39).
Matías Rojas, author of Corinthians' only goal pass against Estudiantes, had not attended CONMEBOL tournaments since his debut in continental competitions in August 2016 against Fénix for CONMEBOL Sudamericana when he played for Cerro Porteño.
At 36 years and 72 days old, Gil is the oldest Corinthians player to score in a CONMEBOL Sudamericana match.
– Botafogo (BRA) 1-1 Defense and Justice (ARG) –
Botafogo drew 1-1 against Defensa y Justicia, which drew home in the first leg of the CCONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarterfinals. Midfielder Gabriel Pires put the Rio de Janeiro team ahead at 56' and Nicolás Tripichio at 78' left everything the same for the definition next week in Argentina.
– Match numbers –
Botafogo is the second team in the history of CONMEBOL Sudamericana to play more than 10 games in the same edition of the tournament without being defeated (4W 7E). It is only surpassed by Universidad de Chile's unbeaten 12-match win in 2011.
With today's draw, Defensa y Justicia extends its undefeated record by visiting rivals from Brazil in the knockout phases of CONMEBOL Sudamericana to three games without defeats (2V 1E).
Defensa y Justicia added 10 shots on target tonight against Botafogo, his highest record of shots between the three sticks playing as a visitor in the history of CONMEBOL tournaments.
Tchê Tchê's three assists in CONMEBOL tournaments were in three different clubs: in 2017 against Atlético Tucumán with Palmeiras, in 2021 against Cerro Porteño with Atlético Mineiro and tonight against Defensa y Justicia with Botafogo.
Roberto Fernández made nine saves against Defense and Justice. The Botafogo goalkeeper had not reached that number of saved shots in CONMEBOL tournaments since April 2014, when he recorded 10 saves against Cruzeiro while playing for Cerro Porteño for CONMEBOL Libertadores.
– LDU Quito (ECU) 2-1 Sao Paulo (BRA) –
Liga de Quito beat São Paulo 2-1 in Ecuador, in the first leg of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarterfinals, a result that leaves the key open after Lucas Moura's discount at 80'. Jhojan Julio at 2' and Renato Ibarra at 25' scored the Liga de Quito goals.
– Match numbers –
LDU Quito won the six games it played at home for the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarterfinals. Half of those wins came against teams from Brazil: 3-2 against Santos in 2004, 1-0 against Athletico Paranaense in 2021 and 2-1 against São Paulo tonight.
LDU Quito only lost one of the nine matches against Brazilian teams playing at home in CONMEBOL Sudamericana (W6 2E).
LDU Quito only lost once in its last eleven home appearances by CONMEBOL Sudamericana (W6 D4): it was against Ñublense in the recent Round of 16.
After 21 games, LDU Quito had less the ball than its rival playing at home for CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Flamengo dominated the indicator 54% to 46%.
Jhojan Julio's goal, at 1:54 into the game, is the fastest goal for LDU Quito in the history of CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
– America MG (BRA) 1-3 Fortaleza (BRA) –
Fortaleza took the lead this Thursday in the Brazilian key for the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarterfinals, beating América Mineiro 3-1 in the first leg. Forward Guilherme, twice at 15' and 41', and Argentine Tomás Pochettino at 21' scored for Fortaleza, while Uruguayan Gonzalo Mastriani scored for the Mineiro team at 69'.
– Match numbers –
Fortaleza won their last three away games in CONMEBOL competitions, their longest winning streak at the continental level playing away from home.
Fortaleza scored three or more goals away from home for the second time in CONMEBOL tournaments and the first time in CONMEBOL Sudamericana. They had previously beaten Colo-Colo 4-3 in CONMEBOL Libertadores 2022.
It is the first time in 23 games played that Fortaleza has managed to score three goals in the first half in CONMEBOL competitions.
Guilherme converted his first double in 26 games played in CONMEBOL tournaments. In addition, he is the second Fortaleza player to reach five goals in continental competitions, along with Silvio Romero (6).
Gonzalo Mastriani is the sixth player to score nine goals in the same edition of CONMEBOL Sudamericana. The last two footballers to reach that mark in the tournament are Uruguayans: in addition to the América Mineiro striker, Agustín Álvarez achieved it in the 2021 edition with Peñarol (10 goals).
Source images: Twitter CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
427.437 SRY