San Lorenzo beats Palmeiras 1-0 and leads Group F of Copa Libertadores

San Lorenzo defeated Palmeiras 1-0 on Tuesday in the third round of Group F of the Copa Libertadores, which brings the Argentine team now as the leader with seven points.

With a solitary goal from Marcelo Herrera, San Lorenzo, locally known as El Ciclon, prevailed in front of their home crowd at the Pedro Bidegain stadium in a duel that leaves them well positioned to qualify for the round of 16 of the continental tournament.

San Lorenzo, who is finishing the Argentine Super League in the basement of the ranking, confirmed a much better performance in the Copa Libertadores with two wins and a draw.

Palmeiras from Sao Paulo, on the other hand, ended a series of twelve matches without defeat when they fell Tuesday in Buenos Aires.

The last defeat of the team directed by Luiz Felipe Scolari was in the classic on Feb. 2 against the Corinthians, in the Campeonato Paulista, the top league of the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo.

The encounter began with an intense rhythm in which Roman Martinez and Gonzalo Castellani sought to become the axis of play for the home side but with their striker Nicolas Blandi often feeling lonely among the Brazilian team’s defense.

There was a similar situation for the visitors because midfielders Eduardo Pereira Rodrigues, aka Dudu, and Lima Magalhaes were able to make some dangerous attacks for Palmeiras but striker Deyverson Brum Silva Acosta was very alone in front of the goal.

In the second half, Scolari brought in Felipe Melo and Lucas Lima, to preserve his team from a possible expulsion against the warned Thiago Santos and Bruno Henrique.

San Lorenzo, meanwhile, began attacking along the sides and it was precisely in this way that the only goal of the match was scored in the 51st minute.

Marcelo Herrera, on the edge of the crescent dominated the ball with a dribble and then took a cross-shot into the lower right corner, with no chance for goalkeeper Weverton.

Palmeiras tried to fight for a draw but the good performance of central defender Fabricio Coloccini and a solid and flawless goalkeeping by Fernando Monetti ensured the triumph of the local team.

For the Brazilians, this defeat obliges them to redouble their efforts to try to regain leadership in Group F of the Copa Libertadores, while at the same time playing the semi-final series of the Campeonato Paulista against Sao Paulo.