Buenos Aires was left with a semi-final still unresolved after Estudiantes and Flamengo drew 0-0 in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores last four on Thursday. At the Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi, the home side carried much of the evening but could not find the finish that would have given them a lead for the return in Rio de Janeiro.
Alexandre Medina, Estudiantes’ Uruguayan coach, felt his team had imposed the kind of match it wanted against the Brazilian visitors. Estudiantes attempted 18 shots to Flamengo’s five, while Flamengo failed to register a shot on target and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was not required to make a save.
“The assessment cannot be positive because we did not win and we wanted it badly,” Medina said. “But the team played very well and we played the way Estudiantes wanted to play. We lacked efficiency and could not score. We had the better chances; they created nothing against us.”
He praised the defensive work of his side, but identified composure in the final third as the missing ingredient on a night when Estudiantes found openings without turning them into goals. “We were solid defensively, and in attack we needed a little more calm, that final pass in their half because there was space. We had chances late on and could not take them.”
A disputed second half incident
Medina’s principal frustration concerned the referee’s handling of a physical contest. Estudiantes believed Flamengo midfielder Lucas Paquetá should have been sent off in the 62nd minute after an elbow on Piovi, an incident that brought strong appeals from the Argentine side.
The coach argued that Flamengo had escaped cards during a match shaped by challenges and tactical fouls from both teams. “It was a very physical game. They went into many duels and committed many fouls. There was not much rhythm, there were tactical fouls from both sides, and they did not receive some cards they should have received,” he said. “In Libertadores semi-finals, nobody is going to make things easy.”
The tie now moves north to the Maracanã next Thursday, with kick-off scheduled for 21:30. Another draw, regardless of the scoreline, will send the contest to penalties, while a winner in Rio will take the place in the Copa Libertadores final.
