Guaraní planted themselves at the San Carlos de Apoquindo stadium in Chile and achieved a huge 1-0 victory against Palestino in the first leg of the 2020 Copa Libertadores Phase 3.
Rodney Redes scored the winning goal for the Legendario, who played 60 minutes with one less player due to Fernando Barrientos' expulsion. A great victory and an important advantage for the rematch next week at La Nueva Olla.
THE MATCH. An excellent first half for the Aborigen at San Carlos. Gustavo Costas' team performed well in all lines, created several clear chances and scored at the end of the half.
The first two clear chances were for the Paraguayan team: first with a header from Ángel Benítez that went wide and then with a great shot from Fernando Fernández that came very close to the right post.
Palestino had only one important chance with a shot from Bryan Carrasco that Gaspar Servio saved well.
The bad news for Guaraní came around the 33rd minute when Fernando Barrientos was sent off with a second yellow card, leaving his team with 10 men.
Despite this, the Legendario scored a goal before the end of the first half: at 46', after a pass from Fernández, Rodney Redes controlled the ball and from outside the area, he fired a well-placed left-footed shot that went in along the right post of the opposing goalkeeper, making it 1-0 in favor of the Indio, the score with which the players went to the dressing rooms.
In the second half, the game did not change. Guaraní, with a player less on the field, dominated the game in their own way. Palestino never posed a threat. The Chilean team lacked ideas against a compact Guaraní side that even had a few chances to increase the score.
The final whistle blew and the match ended 1-0. A huge victory for Gustavo Costas' team looking ahead to the second leg.
The rematch between the Chilean team and the Aborigen will be held next Thursday, February 27, at 19:15 in the Gral. Pablo Rojas stadium, commonly known as La Nueva Olla. The winner will join Group B with Palmeiras from Brazil, Bolívar from Bolivia, and Tigre from Argentina.