São Paulo advanced this Wednesday to the semifinals of South American Cupwhere the Brazilian Atlético Goianiense will also be measured, despite losing 2-1 in their visit to Ceara and thanks to his greater success in the sense of penalties, where he won 3-4.
The tricolor team of Sao Paulo won the first leg at home 1-0 and a draw away from home in the second leg was enough to qualify, but lost to Ceará, who, led by Colombian Stiven Mendoza, narrowly who celebrated the qualification history.
A 2-1 victory was not enough for the locals who had to decide the classification on penalties, where they wasted three shots.
For Sao Paulo, Jonathan Calleri, Luciano, Diego and Patrick scored their penalties, but Igor Vinicius hit the crossbar and Igor Gomes wasted it. Ceará’s penalties were hit by Victor Luis, Matheus Peixoto and Erick but Guilherme Castilho missed the first shot and Vina and Fernando Sobral the last two.
After a confusing start and with an argument between the players, Stiven Mendoza made clear his intention to lead Ceará’s comeback and after 3 minutes he was able to remove his markers with a good play and throw the ball to Vina inside the area, but goalkeeper Felipe Alves blocked him in time.
In the first few minutes the hosts pressed relentlessly to try to open the scoring quickly but Sao Paulo managed to dominate the middle of the pitch and neutralize the attacks.
Once the pressure from Ceará was contained, Sao Paulo started to come out more organized and create dangerous plays mainly with Miranda and with Argentines Giuliano Galoppo and Jonathan Calleri. In the first clear game on goal, in the 20th minute, Galoppo finished with his left foot but a counterattack led by Igor Vinicius was goalless.
But Ceará, who did not give up the pressure, began to overcome the visitors’ control and in the 38th minute Lima scored a goal inside the area after receiving a pass from Vina, but the goal was annulled due to offside.
And that reaction was crowned by Stiven Mendoza in the 44th minute when he opened the scoring with a header where he finished off a play started by Richardson from the right, allowing Ceará to go into halftime.
Sao Paulo coach Rogerio Ceni completely overhauled his team with two changes at the start of the second half and gave it more offensive power with the introduction of Rodrigo Nestor. Despite the fact that Ceará did not stop pressing, Rodrigo Néstor and Igor Vinicius began to combine and give Calleri balls.
Sao Paulo equalized 7 minutes into the second half exactly in a game involving these three players and where Igor Vinicius finished after an assist from Calleri. Despite Sao Paulo’s control, Ceara took advantage of Wellington’s carelessness and errors to regain the lead through Guilherme Castilho’s goal in the 63rd minute.
With both teams attacking in an attempt to avoid a penalty shootout, Sao Paulo had a chance with Calleri, whose header was saved by Joao Ricardo.
Mendoza, Ceará’s main source of danger, had to be substituted with ten minutes remaining due to injury. In the final minutes, Sao Paulo was more offensive, but Wellington and Igor Vinicius failed to finish.
DATA SHEET
2 – Ceara: João Ricardo; Michel Macedo (m.82 Buiú), Messiah, Luiz Otavio, Víctor Luis; Guilherme Castilho, Richardson (m.60, Erick), Lima (m.69, Fernando Sobral), Vina; Stiven Mendoza (m.81, Iuri Castilho) and Ze Roberto (m.60, Matheus Peixoto)
Coach: Marquinhos Santos
1 – São Paulo: Philip Alves; Diego Costa, Miranda, Leo; Igor Vinicius, Pablo Maia (m.45, Gabriel Neves), Giuliano Galoppo (m.45, Rodrigo Néstor), Igor Gomes, Reinaldo (m.56, Wellington) (m.90+4, Patrick); Nikao (m.66, Luciano) and Jonathan Calleri
Coach: Rogerio Ceni
The objectives: 1-0, Steven Mendoza (m. 44); 1-1, Igor Vinicius (m. 53); 2-1, Guilherme Castilho (m.63)
Referee: Argentine Fernando Rapallini advised Galappo, Richardson, Igor Vinicius, Victor Luis, Miranda, Vina and Calleri
Happenings: second leg for the quarterfinals of the South American Cup played at the Arena Castelao stadium in the city of Fortaleza before 53,582 spectators
Source: La Verdad
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