River Plate booked their spot in the Copa Libertadores semi-finals after a 1-0 win (2-1 on aggregate) over Colo-Colo on Tuesday.
Scorer: Colidio 16′
Tied 1-1 on aggregate ahead of kick-off, everything was still up for grabs during this second leg inside a rocking Estadio Mâs Monumental in Argentina.
Such a vibrant atmosphere led to the hosts pegging back the Chilean side early on when Facundo Colidio found the back of the net. Colo-Colo left the River Plate attacker unmarked at the back post, and his acrobatic volley beat a diving Brayan Cortés.
The visitors failed to replicate the same enthusiasm in attack, often pinned back into their area with six or seven players in the box. Carlos Palacios, Marcelo Javier Correa and Arturo Vidal managed just one shot in 45 minutes, which failed to hit the target.
Thanks to the go-ahead goal in the first half, River Plate entered the second looking to frustrate Colo-Colo. And they did, seeing tempers flare around the hour mark.
The Chilean side proved in the first leg that they could pull out an equaliser, but poor touches and sloppy passes prevented the visitors from gaining a foothold this time around. Leonardo Gil notably aired his frustrations by kicking a water bottle after being hauled off.
River Plate’s approach of striking early and using expert game management alongside their roaring support proved enough by full-time. They will now face either holders Fluminense or Atlético Mineiro in the semi-finals.