Estudiantes de La Plata moved to within one win of the Copa Libertadores knockout stages on Tuesday night, completing a double over Uruguayans Danubio in the Estadio Municipal de La Plata thanks to a penalty from Juan Sebastián Verón and a second from Leandro Desábato. Estudiantes’ path now looks a lot clearer than it did after the opening match defeat in Cuenca. Read on for the report, and the goals.
As in Montevideo a couple of weeks ago, this wasn’t an easy win for Estudiantes by any means. They dominated the first half, but did so by playing well rather than through any real incompetence from their opponents, and had to wait until just a minute from the break before finally breaking the deadlock - and when that penalty arrived, it was one that shouldn’t have been given.
By that stage the hosts had already seen a few chances go close. Verón hit the crossbar from a free kick; Marcos Angeleri forced a good save from Néstor Conde in the Danubio goal; Pablo Piatti saw a shot hit a defender and go just wide, and Ezequiel Maggiolo lost out to Conde in a one-on-one he probably should have done better with. It was fractionally before half time, though, that the best chance of the lot arrived. Matías Pérez was harshly judged to have fouled Piatti in the box, and Verón, as ever the reference point for his team, stepped up to coolly slide home the penalty. 1-0 at half time.
In the second half, though, Danubio challenged their hosts’ first-half dominance. Remembering how Estudiantes had overturned a 1-0 deficit in Montevideo, they set out to get revenge and do the same, but lacked composure in the final third. Cristian Bardaro went closest with a shot from around 25 yards which sailed over the crossbar. After half an hour of the second half, though, the score was made a little more comfortable for the hosts. Leandro Benítez sent a free kick over from out wide, and centre back Desábato got in front of his marker to head home for 2-0.
Thereafter, Piatti and Leandro Lázzaro could both have added to the scoreline, but that would have been perhaps a little harsh on Danubio, whose spirited resistance nevertheless saw them go home without reward. Estudiantes need one win from their last two group matches to progress.
Estudiantes lead Group 2 with 7 points from four matches, whilst Danubio have just 1 from the same number of games. Deportivo Cuenca host Lanús - both on 5 points from 3 matches - on Thursday.
Estudiantes de La Plata 2 - 0 Danubio
Filed under: Argentine football, Continental football, Copa Libertadores, Estudiantes, Fixtures, Football, Football clubs, Football managers, Goal videos, Juan Sebastián Verón, Pablo Piatti, Players, Results, Roberto Sensini | Tagged: Argentine football, goal video, Copa Libertadores, South American football, Verón, Libertadores goals, Estudiantes Danubio, Desábato
