The Copa Libertadores Show, Episode 76: 90 Minutes Down, 90 To Go

Presented by Soccermetrics

Howard Hamilton, the founder of Soccermetrics looks at the first legs  in the Copa Libertadores and what to look out for in leg(s) 2- including a surprising result in Ecuador

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome bien Venidos ben Bingdu to the Soccer Metrics Copa,
The Bertadora Show, part of the SDH network, the only
English language show to vote the South America's premier club competition.
I'm your host, Howard Hamilton, the founder of soccer Metrics.
Ninety minutes gone and ninety minutes ago, the first legs

(00:28):
of the couple of Berfadora semi finals are complete, and
these two matches at very reminder that football isn't played
on paper. The ball is round and you have to
play the games. And now that I've used up all
of the cliches, this episode will be nothing more than
the look at the two semi final matches and nothing else.

(00:50):
Starting with the first semi file between Flamengo and Ross
Include at the Estadio Americana, a full house over seventy
thousand present with Tiefa displays flares and fireworks all around. Flameno,
arguably the highest team on the continent right now against

(01:12):
alas Include, has put together everything into this Liberty Las campaign,
looking to return to the final for the first time
in fifty eight years. Philippe Luis made four changes to
the Flameengo side, that faced the studient Is in the
quarter final second leg end goal was Augustine Guilsi in defense,

(01:36):
Alexandro Leo Pereira, Danilo and Guigemo Verela defensive midfield pair
of Georgino and Eric Pulgar. In the ford midfield Jorge Carriscal,
Georgian de Agrisqueta and Luis Aujo, and as a loan
striker up front, Pedro Gustavo, Costa's manager of last include

(02:00):
made three changes from the lineup that played Velles in
the quarter final second leg. In defense Facundo Cambesses, defense
Gabriel Rojas, Marcos Rojo, Santiago Sosa, Nasereno Colombo and Costo Martina,
midfield Tomasconnecti, Augustine Almandra, Bruno Cuculini and Santiago Solari, and

(02:27):
the lone striker upfront was Adria and Martinez. In the
previous episode, I forecasted a tight defensive battle between these
two sides. It looked somewhat different at the beginning, not
for an act pace, to be sure, but there were
chances for both sides. The majority of the opportunities for
Flamenco in the early going came from Jore Carrascal, the Colombian,

(02:52):
with a couple of half chances where the ball ended
up in the hands of Facundo cambezs Ressling Glup had
the closest chance of all just six minutes in, a
ball set into the area, got redirected off Augustine Almandra
and just skimmed the air post of Augustine Rossi. Carlascal

(03:14):
was becoming a constant danger on the left side for Flamenco,
not just for his shot making but also for his
ability to get his teammates into the play resting. Glup
had their best chance thirty three minutes in, when Solari's
right footed volley off an Almendra corner forced a flye
say Bygossi. Then stoppage time. Flamenca would have their best

(03:38):
chance open the scores when another Cardo scop for eight
led to the cross and ultimately a scissor attempt by Pedro,
but Canbziz stood tall to block it the way. Cambezi's
was Rosling's most important player in the first half, and
he demonstrated why he earned a call up to Argentino's
NA national team in the previous international window. In the

(04:03):
second half, Combessos was called upon, making another save, this
time preventing a goal by Plata, a flying effort to
keep the score line nil nil. Arrestling were pulling back
into their own half, choosing to soak up pressure by
the host team. Some wayward shots by Flameeno were produced

(04:24):
during this period, but the shots that ended up on
goal found a barrier in the reliable cambasses. Samuel Alino
had a powerful shot that forced another flying safe with
fifteen minutes ago, and then with ten minutes ago, Flamenco
had an apparent lead. Arresting not able to clear the

(04:48):
lines off another attempt, the ball was played back in
by Pulgar to Samuel Alno, who headed past Combasas to
give Flamenco an apparent one nil lead, but the lead
proved to be illusory because var overturned that apparent goal

(05:08):
due to Lino being an offside position. Flamenco continued pressing
their advantage and pressing for a breakthrough goal, and with
two minutes ago they found it. Carrascal once again the
principal figure, playing Bruno Enrique into the file third. His

(05:30):
shot was blocked away by Condisses, but the rebound found
its way through a crowded penalty era to Carrascal who
was falling the play and his shot ricocheted off Rojo
into the net. That was the lone goal of the game,
asked flamego in the match with a one nail win,

(05:50):
Flamenco definitely felt a sense for relief to win the
match in which they weren't at their best, but Carrascal
was at his best, raid a point six expected goals
and point four to three expected assists, by far the
best return of any Flamento player. The match commentators made

(06:12):
Kvascal the best player on the field, and the statistical
metrics indicate that he was the best player as well.
ROAs include would have been happy with such a result
if you had told them beforehand that they would leave
Rio with a one nil defeat. Now, Rassling are probably

(06:34):
fair to feel disappointed that this match didn't end goalless,
but they do end with a one nil defeat, their
goal down, and they retained Adre Martinez for the second
leg semi final. He did not receive the yellow card
that they feared that he would get, so all the

(06:56):
play for it in a vision next week. That's the
end of part one. In part two, the second semi
final of the Copa Liberta Doores, Part two of the
Soccer Metrix Copa Liberta do Dora show part of the
SDH Network. Now, let's move on to the second semifinal

(07:17):
between Li Thequito and Paul Mares. In Guito. Paul maras
the team of the twenty twenties, always a candidate for
the title, but they haven't played for it in four years.
Le the Quito seeking to defy the experts and returned
to the Libertadores file for the first time in seventeen years.

(07:40):
Can they take full advantage of the altitude. Giago Nunez
Mage of Legia the Quito made three changes from the
quarter file second leg versus sal Paalo while keeping the
same formation Alexander Domingez and goal, Leonel Quinonez, Richard Ada
and Richard Bina in the defensive line, Brian Ramirez, Kevin Minda,

(08:05):
Carlos Garreso, Gabriel Viamo and Jose Quintero in the midfield,
and Jason Medina and Lisandro Alzugaray up front. Abel Ferea,
manager of Paul Mares, was forced to replace Weverton due
to a hand injury and he made three more changes.
In midfield, Carlos Miguel was the man in goal. In

(08:32):
front of him the defensive line of Joaquin Picuaes Maurillo,
Gusavo Gomez and Kelvin, the Holy midfielder Emiliela Martinez. In
midfield Philippe Anderson, Andreas Perreira and Rafel Vella, and in
the forward line Vitter, Joke and Jose Lopez. In the

(08:54):
previy to this match, I expressed doubts that Legia Dequita
could get away with a three defense against a potent
Palmyra's attack, even at home. Lega's response to the skeptics
would be the play bold and to run with abandon
along the wings, and that is how they set about

(09:15):
overwhelming the Greens, ken Yonas on the left, Lemirez on
the right, and via Mil through the middle, and within
a cor of an hour Ledia Keito were in the lead.
King Jonas, surging on the left hand side, cut back
to an open Vmail in the box, who finished hard

(09:35):
over Domingus's hands to give Lydia Kito the one nill lead.
They would double their advantage almost ten minutes later via
the penalty spot, a hard shot by King Jonas hit
Andreasparra on the hand. The referee pointed to the penalty spot.
I'll see their eyes stepped forward and he slowed the

(09:56):
ball past Miguel to double the advantage Legia Aikita in
the second first hand the first half stoppage time, Lega
would race out to a three nil lead. Once again
the breakaway on the right flank. The ball was cut
back by Ramirez to Va Mail making a late run

(10:18):
in the box, and his clinical finish gave Lea a
Keito a three nail advantage in the second half. In
the second half, fer Era brought on Augustine Guiai and
Ramon Sosa to replace Kelvin and Rafael Veega, who were
fried on the left hand side. Palmyras struggled to build

(10:39):
coherently through the midfield throughout the entire match. Liga were
successful at controlling the tempo and they rarely looked uncomfortable.
Palmyras's best chance to get back into the tie came
in the eighty third minute, when the misplayed ball saw
a breakaway on the right hand side, but the resulting

(10:59):
shot was parried away by Domingos. In the fifth minute
stoppage time, Leeo would go down to ten men, Ramirez
was sent off via Var for a high boot on
Augustine gi Gi was in faut very lucky not to
have his leg broken by this foul, and Ramirez's red

(11:23):
card sees him out of the second leg for the
semi final, and if Lydia Dakito advanced to the final,
it's very possible that he will be disqualified for that
match as well. But the final result, Lega Dakito three
Paulmyras Nil Liga finished the home campaign unbeaten, without allowing

(11:47):
a goal at home five wins in one draw. Gabriel
via Mail was by far the best player on the
field point seven zero expected goals but most importantly two
critical goals to give to contribute to Lega's advantage in
the first leg. This is the third time that Lega

(12:09):
Dikito have put three goals past the Brazilian team at
home in the Kopa Liberta Doors knockout. For Palmyra's this
result represented the worst match in the avel fe Era.
Only Andreas Pereira was effective in creation, leading the team
and expected assists, and that team of the twenty twenties,

(12:33):
that team that has been a perennial candidate for the
Libertador's title over the course of this decade now has
a very steep mountain to climb if they want to
return to yet another Liberta door Is final. The Libertadors
circus shifts south and east next week with two decisive

(12:55):
matches and EVASIONDA. On the twenty ninth of October, Ressing
Glup will host Flamenco and in salth Paulo Paul Marris
will host Legia the Kito on the thirtieth. Can the
Brazilian sides bow through, reverse the score line and advance
to get another Libertador's Final. They're certainly capable of doing so,

(13:18):
and if they do, it'll be a testament to their
talent and experience. Resting Glupe have a chance and Leada
the Ketho have a very good chance of getting to
the final themselves. But next week it all starts again
and we're in for a dramatic and intense ninety minutes

(13:38):
in both places. As a reminder, you can find xg maps,
flow charts and passing network mats for every Libertador's match
on the Soccer Metrics x feed. Matchday has supplied by
Data Factory Latin America. Got a comment or a question
about this podcast or Labertadores, send them to my ex

(14:01):
handle at soccer Metrics. You can also send questions or
comments to soccer down here or to Jason Longshore a Launschu.
I'll be back next week to get you ready for
the second legs of the Labertador semi Finals. This has
been the Soccer Metrics Copa Lberta door show, proudly part

(14:22):
of the SDH Network. See you later as Luega at
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