The Albos had hopes of returning to the semi-finals of the tournament after 27 years. However, a defensive inattention allowed the Millonarios to make it 1-0, which was enough to qualify. Jorge Almirón’s men had the ball, but lacked punch in the final meters, facing an opponent who did not demonstrate his power.
The continental dream of Colo Colo It’s over. The enthusiasm of the popular cast was palpable, with the faith of being able to make history in Buenos Aires. However, the trip to the Copa Libertadores 2024 had a forced landing in the Monumental caldera of Núñez, with 85,000 people in the stands. He sold dearly a mismatch in defense and ended up leaning. A 1-0 that hurts the hosts of Colocoline. Because the rival won with little.
The 1-1 in the first leg left good feelings in the Cacique, as they competed on an equal footing with a power of the region, reinforced by a couple of world champions seeking to conquer the supreme scepter of America. The problem with last week’s duel was that Jorge Almirón’s team did not reflect its superiority on the scoreboard. And it ends up being a sin against the rivals of this lineage. A River that has not had any defeat in its stadium during the year, received a Colo Colo that has only had one defeat as a visitor in this edition and has always managed to convert.
Any previous analysis indicated that Colo Colo would face a rival that would put pressure at the beginning of the duel, as happened in the first leg in Santiago. However, the start was bold on the part of the Chileans. The only change from last week was the entry of Emiliano Amor in place of the suspended Maximiliano Falcón. The Whites played in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Arturo Vidal and Carlos Palacios in the line behind Javier Correa, the center forward and tasked with going to the clash against the local central defenders (without Paulo Díaz, Leandro González Pirez entered).
With a clear line of three in the background, the Cacique began to stand high on the pitch, with Mauricio Isla and Lucas Cepeda free on their respective wings, and with the consequence of a particular duel against the River Plate teams.
Inattention and objective
A River with a stellar team, after lining up a mix in the Superclásico against Boca Juniors, could not press, because Colo Colo made the circuits uncomfortable. Beyond the obvious risk, Almirón’s approach was to position himself in the rival pack, defending almost hand-to-hand. This irreverence had to go hand in hand with order and concentration, especially in the event of a direct elimination. The problem was that a simple defensive inattention gave the Millonarios the key to opening the duel.
In the 16th minute, Facundo Colidio made it 1-0, sparking an uproar from the large and noisy home fans. The former Tiger showed himself to be completely free and scored first on a pass from Santiago Simón, after a set piece. Arturo Vidal who was playing a separate duel (all the pressure was on his back), was hooked and left Colidio in a legal position. Opening the account activated River and caused visitors to lose their papers.
The rich team of Marcelo Gallardo He never exercised any marked hegemony over the Colo Colo de Almirón. However, it was enough for him to be used to this type of crossing and the hierarchy of his proper names to tip the balance slightly. The Albos’ 59% possession of the ball in the first half showed that they did not hide. The big problem is that he did not translate this control into clear opportunities. The Chileans did not finish off Franco Armani on goal. Lucas Cepeda’s efforts on the left wing were remarkable. On the other hand, Carlos Palacios, who dazzled everyone in the first leg (especially on the other side of the mountain range), had little influence on the offensive construction of his squad.
This River Plate, which was frightening with its power, was, on this occasion, an efficient and dedicated cast, but without brilliance or exuberance. It seemed that the match suited him, as he achieved his goal of reaching the semi-finals. No let-up, of course. A Mauricio Isla launched from the right was little used. He could not form a tandem on the right wing and thus become a more powerful offensive agent.
Little by little, Almirón moved the board. First, it was with the entry of the Paraguayan Paiva for Correa. Post by post. Then Castellani, Zavala and Bolados entered respectively. There was a strange feeling: even if Colo Colo was close, he did not have enough merits to reach equality. By manipulating the ball, it was difficult for him to create real danger. It was not until the 81st minute that a clear shot came, with Cristián Zavala’s shot contained by Armani. At this point, there was nothing left to speculate. All the meat grilled, with four attackers. Meanwhile, River defended and did not hesitate to buy time if necessary.
The last semi-final, 27 years ago
By doing what it takes, nothing more, nothing less, Gallardo’s River is among the four best in America and awaits a rival: Fluminense or Atlético Mineiro. Meanwhile, Colo Colo leaves the Copa Libertadores with their heads held high, having stood up to a major rival. Of course, there remains the bitter taste of selling a defeat due to disapplication at a high price.
It has been 27 years since the Cacique was last a semi-finalist in the continent’s main tournament. There was hope of repeating what happened in 1997, but it was not achieved. The last Chilean club to reach the semi-finals was Jorge Sampaoli’s U21 in 2012.
Match sheet
Flat River : F. Armani; F. Bustos, G. Pezzella, L. González Pirez, M. Acuña; S. Simón (79′, F. Mastantuono), M. Kranevitter (69′, N. Fonseca), I. Fernández; M. Meza (62′, M. Lanzini), M. Borja (69′, A. Bareiro) and F. Colidio. DT: Mr. Gallardo.
Colo Colo : B. Cortés; A. Saldivia, E. Amor, E. Wiemberg; M. Isla (74′, C. Zavala), E. Pavez (81′, M. Bolados), L. Gil (75′, G. Castellani), L. Cepeda; A. Vidal, C. Palacios; and J. Correa (66′, G. Paiva). DT: J. Almirón.
Goals : 1-0, 16′, Collidio, unmarked splice after a pass from Simón.
Arbitrator : A. Matonte (URU). He reprimanded Acuña, Armani, Fernández (RP); Palacios, Vidal, Amor, Paiva (CC).
The most monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. Around 85,000 people took part.
Source: Latercera

I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.