Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Botafogo ride first-leg advantage to Copa Libertadores final

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After a 5-0 thumping in the first-leg, Botafogo cruised through to the final unscathed after a drama-less second-leg showdown with Peñarol.

Scorers: Báez 31′, 66′, Batista 89′ ; Almada 88′

Peñarol were quite the story coming into the semifinal, but the last-four seemed just too big of an occasion for the Uruguayan outfit as they came into the second-leg Wednesday evening with little to play for.

Artur Jorge made plenty of changes to his side with the result all but wrapped up heading into the second-leg.

Despite that, Peñarol did not quit. After pushing to find the first goal on the night throughout the first 30 minutes, they broke the deadlock with a stunning long-range strike by Jaime Báez.

But any late first-half momentum was killed when Washington Aguerre was sent off for a scuffle after the half-time whistle.

Báez bagged another past the hour-mark, but it was merely consolation in the grand scheme of the tie, as a late Thiago Almada goal was the icing on the cake for the visitors

Botafogo will now set their sights on the their first final in club history in November against Brazilian rivals Atlético Mineiro.

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