Alianza Lima drew 0-0 against Atlético Paranaense in the match held at Matute, for the first matchday of Group G in the 2023 Copa Libertadores. The home team played with a numerical advantage after Thiago Heleno was sent off in the 78th minute.
The home team started well against the Brazilians, with Pablo Sabbag constantly making diagonal runs to take advantage of the long passes from the midfield. However, the runner-up of America gradually took control of the first 45 minutes.
Paranaense's first clear chance came from Cuello, who received a great pass from his teammate Vitor Roque, but his shot narrowly missed the right post.
In the second half, Alianza Lima restructured their offense, replacing Cueva and Costa with Franco Zanelatto and Andrade. The change in personnel started to bear fruit and was even more noticeable after the expulsion of center-back Thiago Heleno, who couldn't handle the 1-on-1 against Andrade and brought him down.
Alianza had clear chances to open the scoring through Franco Zanelatto and Bryan Reyna, but both made poor decisions in their respective opportunities. Despite the numerical advantage, the team led by "Chicho" Salas couldn't start the tournament with a victory.
When will Alianza play again in the Copa Libertadores?
The blanquiazules will visit Libertad from Paraguay on April 20 for the second match of the group stage. Alianza hopes to achieve a victory that allows them to dream of qualifying for the round of 16 and, at the same time, end their negative streak in this competition. With today's draw, Alianza has gone 30 games without a win in the Copa Libertadores.