Colo Colo is once again cup bearer and is in the round of 16 of Libertadores

Jorge Almirón achieved what had not happened in a long time: once again transforming Colo Colo into a cup-winning team. After a group stage full of ups and downs, the white team managed to get into the round of 16 of the Libertadores, a stage in which it had not been since 2018. Only six points, hard worked, were enough to finish second in Group A.

Popular drew 1-1 against Cerro Porteño as a visitor, but in the balance we will also remember other games, equally or more valuable: the agonizing victory, for example, against the Paraguayans themselves at the Monumental; or equality in the final stretch against Alianza Lima in Peru, when there was no way around, but Arturo Vidal demonstrated his world class.

The Cacique started the duel being superior to the local team. Perhaps he did not approach Fernandes Filho’s goal with such clarity, but he did control the game and had better ideas. The first clear chance occurred at 17′, when Brayan Cortés played long for Palacios, who quickly unmarked himself and was alone in front of the rival goalkeeper, however, he finished poorly.

Of course, the opening of the account came only moments later, thanks to the ingenuity of Guillermo Paiva. The attacker got ahead of defender De Jesús, who innocently touched him down and allowed the white team to score a penalty, in a play that seemed to have no major risks. A minute later, Carlos Palacios made no mistake to score 1-0.

Then, those led by Jorge Almirón were even able to increase. At 30′, Leonardo Gil was left alone, with plenty of time and space to finish, but his shot went wide over the Cerro Porteño goal. Only six minutes later the lamentation would come: at 36′, Carrizo scored a ‘lob’ that seemed to go away, but it came down in time to make the Paraguayans celebrate.

Meanwhile, the result of the simultaneous match did not match: Alianza beat Fluminense 1-0 at the Maracaná. Until then, the albos were left behind and with only a chance of going to Sudamericana. But this panorama changed quickly at the beginning of the complement, because three quick scores in Brazil tied the Peruvians and the ‘Flu’. Colo Colo, without doing anything else, was entering the round of 16 of Libertadores.

In the end, the duel in Asunción became complex, because Cerro, obviously, began to pressure and get closer to Cortés. However, the Guarani cast never had many tools. In Brazil, furthermore, Fluminense made it 3-2 against Alianza and left the Peruvian team out of everything. Colo Colo only had to hold on and a draw was enough. Thus, he added the six most valuable points that can be remembered.