Liga de Quito, finalist of the 2023 South American Cup, eliminated Defensa y Justicia – International Football – Sports
The Ecuadorian Liga de Quito advanced to the final of the Copa Sudamericana by drawing 0-0 on its visit to the Argentine Defensa y Justiciain the revenge match of the semifinals, played this Wednesday at the Lanús stadium on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.
In a duel played at the Lanús stadium, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires where the ‘Halcón’ played at home, the white team took over the series with a 3-0 aggregate score, the score with which the first leg played that week ended. spent in Quito.
In this way, the League returns to the definition of the Sudamericana, a tournament that saw it champion in 2009, and in which it will face the Brazilian Fortaleza, in the match that will be played on Saturday, October 28 in Maldonado, Uruguay.
Like a storm, Defensa y Justicia came out to take the merengue team ahead, which could wait for the ‘Halcón’ to start at full steam, a warning that was not enough to completely stop the auriverde gale, which poured with fury on the Ecuadorian field .
Liga de Quito was saved by millimeters in those first minutes, in which the Argentine team had its chances in a header from Tomás Cardona to the right post, and a shot from Togni that took paint from the same vertical, in a complete domain of Defense .
Local dominance, although there was no lack of aim to break the zero. In that frantic search for the first goal, Julio Vaccari’s team left behind an immense space for the League’s counterattacks.
After an assist from Paolo Guerrero, Jhojan Julio wasted the chance to end the series by scoring wide when he was alone against Bologna.
With the die cast, Defensa maintained control of the game, and tried with a right-footed shot from Barbona from 25 meters that demanded the goalkeeper Domínguez, a left-footed shot that barely deflected from Togni, another shot from Barbona that the goalkeeper sent to the corner kick, and a Ramos Mingo’s half turn.
Defense made 11 shots on goal in the first half. But the gold and green found no reward for his efforts, while the League entrusted itself to the hands of Domínguez and the speed of Julio, a constant danger for the local team.
Outcome without surprises
Nothing changed in the second half, apart from the fact that the local team slowed down a little but still kept trying. Togni with a left foot that found Domínguez well stopped, then Togni himself looked over the top with a high header, and Barbona couldn’t with a barely high left foot.
When it could get out of the siege, Liga made it clear that it could be sharp, and came close to victory again when Paolo Guerrero received a rebound outside the area and hit a sharp right hand that shook Bologna’s left post.
However, although the League forgave on a couple of occasions, it would have been deserved for Defensa to achieve at least one victory by the minimum that never came, because near the end Andrés Ríos crashed a header into the post, and Domínguez saved his goal for the umpteenth time when taking a header from Pratto who was looking for the corner.
Defense could not, as they paid dearly for the absence of their striker ‘Uvita’ Fernández due to injury and the lack of effectiveness in scoring in any of his 34 shots on goal.
Liga celebrated the classification thanks to the difference it made in the first leg and the tenacity it exhibited to seal the ticket in Buenos Aires, now just one step away from celebrating again in the Sudamericana.
SPORTS
Con AFP
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