For the sixth consecutive year, a Brazilian team will be crowned the Copa Libertadores champion. Botafogo, who won the first leg against Peñarol 5-0, was defeated 3-1 in Uruguay but advanced to the next stage. Meanwhile, Atlético-MG beat River Plate 3-0 at home and secured a 0-0 draw in the second leg in Argentina.
Come and check out how these matchups played out and how the Brazilian teams reached the final. The Libertadores grand final will take place on November 30th at Estadio Monumental de Nuñez, home of River Plate, in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital.
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Index
Libertadores 2024
River Plate 0-0 Atlético-MG
In the first leg at Arena MRV, Atlético-MG won 3-0, with a spectacular performance by forward Deyverson, who scored twice and provided an assist.
At Monumental de Nuñez, Atlético-MG held off River’s pressure, kept a clean sheet, and secured their second Copa Libertadores final.
- 3’ Scarpa received on the right, cut inside, but shot weakly off target.
- 5’ Meza took a free kick into the box, Paulo Díaz headed it, but Everson saved comfortably.
- 7’ Meza’s corner found Colidio, who flicked it on for Solari, but his close-range shot went wide.
- 24’ Kranevitter collected a loose ball and fired from distance, narrowly missing Everson’s goal.
- 28’ Meza’s corner found Pezzela unmarked, but his header went over the bar.
- 33’ River’s neat combination play allowed Colidio to enter the box, but Battaglia cleared for a corner just in time.
- 37’ Deyverson intercepted the ball in the attacking half, went one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Armani managed to gather it.
Second Half Highlights:
- 47’ Hulk made a great move and passed to Scarpa, who hit a first-time shot that struck the crossbar. Deyverson’s follow-up shot was saved by Armani.
- 60’ River executed a beautiful one-two play, with Echeverri entering the box and cutting past Junior Alonso, but Everson made a fantastic save.
Photo: Daniel Jayo/Getty Images
- 67’ Pity Martínez took a free kick into the box, Villagra headed it to the center, and Everson was there again with a save.
- 71’ Echeverri took a curling shot from outside the box, forcing Everson to tip it over for a corner.
- 82’ Pity Martínez hit a free kick towards the top corner and scored, but the referee had already blown the whistle, disallowing the goal.
Atlético-MG withstood the pressure and qualified for their second Libertadores final in history. They won their first title in 2013.
Photo: JUAN MABROMATA / AFP
Peñarol 3-1 Botafogo
In the first leg, Botafogo delivered a crushing 5-0 win at Nilton Santos Stadium. In Uruguay, Peñarol won 3-1 but couldn’t prevent Botafogo from reaching their first Copa Libertadores final.
Botafogo played with a mixed lineup of starters and reserves.
- 2’ Milans crossed, the defense failed to clear, and Leo Fernández collected the rebound but missed wide.
- 22’ Alex Telles curled a free kick narrowly past the post.
- 29’ Botafogo exchanged headers until the ball found Savarino, who struck it first-time but only hit the side netting.
- 31’ Báez received from Leo Fernández and launched a rocket from distance into the top corner, opening the scoring for Peñarol.
- 33’ Leo Fernández’s corner found Rodrigo Pérez, who headed it against the post.
Halftime Incident: Peñarol’s goalkeeper, Aguerre, struck Botafogo’s keeper, John, and was sent off.
Second Half Highlights:
- 51’ Marlon Freitas led a counterattack and shot from outside the box, but it went over the bar.
- 54’ Tiquinho Soares received the ball in the box and tapped it, which hit a defender’s hand. The referee awarded a penalty, but moments later, Vitinho dribbled the goalkeeper and scored. Following a VAR check, the penalty was canceled.
- 66’ Báez received on the left, cut inside, and finished in the corner, scoring Peñarol’s second.
- 69’ Mateo Ponte made a rough foul, received a second yellow card, and was sent off.
- 79’ Tiquinho Soares set up Marlon Freitas on a counterattack. Freitas went one-on-one with the keeper, but De Amores saved.
- 88’ Marlon Freitas broke away again and set up Almada, who scored to cut the deficit.
- 89’ Rodrigo Pérez made a fine pass to Facundo Batista, who controlled and scored past John to seal the final score.
Final Score: Peñarol 3-1 Botafogo.
Botafogo qualified for their first Copa Libertadores final in history.
Photo: Abramovich/AFP
Written by Henry Miller.
