BUENOS AIRES (AP) – The last champion Palmeiras took advantage in the series against Universidad Católica, in another match of the knockout stages of the Copa Libertadores marked by a controversial referee ruling.
With a penalty sanctioned by the VAR and converted by Raphael Veiga, Verdao were left with a 1-0 victory on Wednesday at the San Carlos de Apoquindo stadium.
The current monarch thus stacked 13 undefeated away matches, a new mark in the history of the competition.
After a free kick for Palmeiras, Deyverson received and looked for the center, but the ball deflected into the hand of Germán Lanaro. The Uruguayan referee Andrés Matonte pointed out the penalty after consulting the VAR. Veiga executed it with a left foot to the middle of the arc.
CONMEBOL suspended a main referee, an assistant and judges operating the VAR on Wednesday indefinitely for their controversial decisions in the goalless draw between Boca Juniors and Atlético Mineiro and in Fluminense’s 2-0 win over Cerro Porteño in Asunción.
The victory seemed too much of a reward for Palmeiras, who could not have his figure Rony, one of the top gunners in the tournament with six goals, due to a muscular discomfort.
La Católica produced more offensively and was within a shot of the equalizer when Gonzalo Tapia executed a free kick that hit the post. The rebound was taken by Diego Valencia with a head and the Chilean Benjamín Kuscevic from Palmeiras cleared the line.
In addition, striker Diego Valencia squandered a heads-up against goalkeeper Weverton, which he held back with his chest.
The rematch will be played next Wednesday in Sao Paulo.
Meanwhile, Vélez Sarsfield beat Barcelona de Guayaquil 1-0, which surprised in the first round by placing first in the death zone in which Boca was second and Santos from Brazil was eliminated.
Fortín, champions in 1994, got the advantage through a center from Tomás Guidara from the right that Juan Lucero connected with his head to surprise goalkeeper Javier Burrai.
Barcelona, a finalist in 1990 and 1998, will look to turn the series around next week in Ecuador.
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