Independiente del Valle
Ecuador's Independiente del Valle defeated on Monday 1-0 Deportivo Municipal from Peru in a match played at the National Stadium in Lima for the first phase of the Copa Libertadores-2017.
The winning goal from the current runner-up of the Copa Libertadores was scored by striker Michael Estrada with a cross shot at the 10th minute.
The rematch will be played on Friday in the Ecuadorian city of Sangolqui.
The black and blue team, led by Colombian Alexis Mendoza, achieved an important result away from home with little football and is on the verge of the second phase of the Copa.
Municipal, from the start, pressed Independiente with quick plays elaborated by Japanese forward Masakatsu Sawa and midfielder Pier Larrauri.
At the 7th minute, a shot from Larrauri was saved by the visiting goalkeeper, Adrián Bone, with great quality.
After that play, Independiente del Valle went on the attack with midfielder Alexander Mera and Estrada, two players who showed great chemistry at times.
At the 10th minute, Estrada took advantage of a through pass from Mera and finished with a cross shot to score 1-0 for the Ecuadorian team.
Municipal did not give up and tried to score with long balls into the rival's goal.
But all their arrivals were wasted due to poor finishing from the players.
On the other hand, the Ecuadorian team, taking advantage of counterattacks from Gabriel Cortéz, tried to put the Municipal defense in trouble, which made mistakes.
At the 34th minute, Cortéz took a powerful shot that was saved by Delgado, but the rebound fell to Estrada, who sent the ball over the crossbar with the goal empty.
After halftime, Municipal, led by Argentine Marcelo Grioni, came out with a more aggressive game to overturn the score.
At the 54th minute, Larrauri, who was the driving force in the midfield for the 'ediles', took a shot that was deflected for a corner by Bone.
Independiente, with little football in their midfield, attacked through the wings, but without creating any dangerous opportunities for goalkeeper Erick Delgado.
At the 59th minute, Grioni sent Panamanian forward Sergio Moreno onto the field to give more offensive power to his team, but without achieving any results.
At the 73rd minute, Sawa from Japan missed the clearest opportunity to equalize the match with a very wide shot.
Colombian coach Mendoza sent Kenner Arce and Carlos Cuero onto the field at 73rd minute to secure the match and take a crucial victory to put one foot in the second round of the Libertadores.
In 2016, the Ecuadorians were left wanting to lift the Copa Libertadores trophy as they lost 1-0 to Colombia's Atletico Nacional in Medellin in the second leg of the final, after drawing 1-1 in the first leg in Quito.