When everything is on the line in a match, be it in football or any other sport, a championship team comes through and will perform the best in those moments. Now San Lorenzo is just that. As holders of the Copa Libertadores, all eyes were on them on Tuesday night, as they took on São Paulo FC to stay alive in this year’s competition and only a win would really help them. The Estadio Pedro Bidegain was nearly sold out and ecstatic, as the hosts just celebrated the 115th birthday of their club.
São Paulo arrived late, as the team bus was stuck in traffic, so it was a bit of a rush to get ready for the game. The start to the game was just as slow as their arrival though and in general it was not an extremely good one. The first chance of the game came from the guests, when Alan Kardec shot on goal in the fifth minute. Matos, Blanco and Mussis had 3 chances from inside the area for San Lorenzo, yet all of them put the ball wide. It remained 0-0 at halftime.
That scoreline would not exactly help the Argentinians, and as the game continued to move forward pretty eventlessly, they made a substitution, which they would not regret. In the 63rd minute, Leandro Romagnoli made way for Martín Cauteruccio. It took him 7 minutes, until he pulled off what you can see below.
He received the ball headed on by striking partner Mauro Matos, lobbed it over defender Rafael Tolói, and then provided a cool finish high over the shoulder of legendary goalkeeper Rogério Ceni. The all important goal had finally been scored, and they managed to defend their lead until the final whistle. Michel Bastos, who scored the winner in the meeting of these two clubs 2 weeks ago, tested goalkeeper Sebastián Torrico twice in the final few minutes, but he was up to the task and helped secure the three points for San Lorenzo.
That win is huge for the defending champions, as it puts them level on points with São Paulo. In the other game in group 2, Corinthians put on a show, beating Uruguay’s champion Danubio 4-0. Former Bayern Munich striker Paolo Guerrero destroyed them with a hattrick. The guests from Montevideo meanwhile did not manage a single shot on target in 90 minutes. Corinthians, with four wins in four games, advances to the next round.
Group 2, as it stands:
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