Atlético Nacional defeated Guaraní de Asunción 0-2 in the first leg of Phase II of the Copa Libertadores 2021. The result was strong on Paraguayan soil and with goals from Bryan Rovira and Alexis Villalba in their own goal, they went to Medellín with a good advantage to finish the series and advance to phase III in the continental competition.
Both teams went out for a goal and until the 7th minute, Atlético Nacional had the first approach through Jarlan Barrera who entered the area on the left. After 9 minutes, Guaraní responded with a good free kick from Antonio Marín, but failed to score the equalizer for Aldair Quintana.
After 20 minutes, Danovis Banguero made a complete fool of himself when he presented the ball to the feet of Gaspar Servio who smashed it into the open goal for Colombian.
With 23 minutes played, a phenomenal play on the right side freed Yerson Candelo, of Guaraní, to dash through and score another goal for the visitors. The ball landed at the feet of Jarlan Barrera, who was completely unmarked in the box. 1 – 0, but Alexio Villalba was the scorer.
After the ball was lifted in from the left, Aldair Quintana was on his own in the home side’s penalty area and should have scored after 79 minutes, but missed, probably due to lack of concentration. Nacional responded in the 36th minute with a collective piece that led to a spectacular shot by Jonatan Álvez. The following ones finished the first half with superiority in the game and this was reflected on the scoreboard.
After 4 minutes, Guaraní sent a free kick in high over the penalty box. After 4 minutes, Miguel Benítez sent the corner kick right to Nicolás Maná who headed it sharply past the keeper. The Colombian team had two chances to score, in one, Jarlan fell into the offside trap, but in which Álvez intervened and finished at the bottom of the net, Venezuelan striker Tulio Moreno raised the flag, although he did. Miguel Benítez was able to allow.
The game was characterized by rough play and many physical challenges on the wet field, but Guaraní showed great heart and had a good game. However, the referee was unimpressed, and booked him for diving. With 26 minutes played, Vladimir Hernández nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot passed just over the bar. A few minutes later, Colmán equalized, but sent the ball over the Colombian’s goal.
In the 31st minute of the second half, Nacional made the first change in the game, Déinner Quiñones came in to replace Vladimir Hernández. Guaraní made four appearances in 39 minutes of the second half. With 41 minutes played, a phenomenal play on the right side freed Altonir Quintana, of Milton Maciel, to dash through and score another goal for the visitors.
As the game started to slip away for Jarlan Barrera, the manager decided to change the tactical approach. The former Junior had a yellow card. With that discussion, the green reduced the impulse to the place that had turned into an attack in the last minutes of the game. In the fifth minute of addition, Déinner Quiñones had the second, after a fast-moving team move.
In the last game of the game, Bryan Rovira with a free kick condemned the final with 0-2 in favor of the Colombian team. Cezariana dismissed the goalkeeper Servio and surprised the Paraguayan defense with great wisdom.
In the end, Atlético Nacional achieved a key victory in their aspirations to advance to the next phase of the Copa Libertadores, against a Guaraní who did not show the aggression he had in the previous phase against Royal Pari in Bolivia.
The return match will take place on Thursday, March 18, at 19:30 at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín.
Juan Camilo Alvarez Serrano
FUTBOLRED correspondent
Medellin
On twitter: @ juanchoserran8