Montevideo Wanderers vs Olimpia faced each other in the first leg match of the preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores 2018 on Monday, January 22nd, at the Luis Franzini stadium in Montevideo. The match ended in a goalless draw.
The match had few goal opportunities, with the Paraguayan team being the closest to scoring in the second half. Montevideo Wanderers had their best chance in the first half with a shot hitting the post by Sergio Blanco.
The second leg match will be played in Asuncion on Friday, January 26th, at 18:15 hours in Peru.
Incidents - Montevideo Wanderers vs Olimpia
80 min The match seems to be heading towards a 0-0 draw. The teams are taking few risks.
71 min Unbelievable! The Wanderers defender barely saves the ball from going in. It was on the goal line.
63 min Olimpia had a goal disallowed for offside.
55 min A very even match with few goal opportunities. The draw favors Olimpia.
46 min The second half has begun.
HALFTIME
45 min End of the first half. It's goalless at halftime.
44 min Close call! The home goalkeeper saves his team. Olimpia almost takes the lead.
35 min The home team is pressing and closing the spaces, but lacks depth.
25 min Wow! Speaking of Blanco, an incredible shot hits the post. Olimpia survives.
15 min Sergio Blanco, former player of Sporting Cristal, is the standout player for Wanderers.
8 min Olimpia's first dangerous attack, but the home goalkeeper manages to save the shot.
0 min The match has started in the Uruguayan capital. The Copa Sudamericana curtain raiser.
Preview The teams are already on the pitch.
Preview Good day, friends. The Copa Libertadores kicks off and the first match is played in Montevideo.
Probable lineups - Montevideo Wanderers vs Olimpia
Montevideo Wanderers: Martín Rodríguez, D. Macaluso, A. Villoldo, P. Lima, F. Barrandeguy, A. Colombino, M. Castro, N. Queiroz, R. Rivero, S. Blanco, S. Bellini. Coach: Eduardo Espinel.
Olimpia: A. Aguilar, D. Verón, S. Otálvaro, F. Díaz, J. Patiño, R. Burgos, N. Camacho, W. Mendieta, R. Ortiz, W. Bogado, B. Montenegro. Coach: Daniel Garnero.
Referees: Anderson Daronco (BRA), assisted by his compatriots Rodrigo Correa and Guilherme Dias.
Stadium: Luis Franzini, with a capacity of 18,000 people.
Time: 19:15 local time, 17:15 in Peru (GMT 22:15).
The Uruguayan team Montevideo Wanderers and the Paraguayan team Olimpia will face each other on Monday in the first leg match of the Copa Libertadores, aiming for a spot in the group stage of the biggest South American competition.
The Uruguayan team has not confirmed their lineup yet, and their coach Eduardo Espinel is waiting to be able to include the young midfielder Facundo Waller, who was a South American champion with the Uruguayan U-20 national team in Ecuador and participated in the World Cup in South Korea. He was also sought after by the two biggest clubs in Uruguayan football, Nacional and Peñarol.
Waller, 20 years old, has already been coached by Espinel in his previous club, Plaza Colonia, and had a prominent role as a midfielder.
In addition, Espinel wishes to have midfielders Adrián Colombino and Nacho González, who returned from their vacations last week and will be assessed in the upcoming days.
If they are not available in the midfield, Espinel will rely on young players from the academy who have been performing "very well" and are being considered for the Uruguayan Championship season, as the coach told the press.
Olimpia is the favorite for the match, coming from a friendly victory against Boca Unidos de Corrientes, despite the absence of defender Carlos Rolón due to a broken left foot. He was replaced by Sergio Otálvaro.
The team led by Argentine coach Daniel Garnero has almost defined the starting eleven and only has the doubt between Walter Bogado or Richard Sánchez in the midfield.
The second leg match of this preliminary Copa Libertadores duel will be held at the Defensores del Chacho stadium in Paraguay on January 26th at 20:15 (GMT 23:15).