RIO DE JANEIRO — In an impressive display, Botafogo from Brazil triumphed over Uruguay’s Penarol with a commanding 5-0 victory on Wednesday, advancing them closer to their inaugural Copa Libertadores final. This outcome bolsters the possibility of witnessing another all-Brazilian final in the prestigious South American club football tournament.
The club, under the ownership of American entrepreneur John Textor, saved all their scoring for the second half of the semifinal’s first leg. Venezuelan Jefferson Savarino initiated the scoring frenzy in the 51st minute, deftly nudging the ball past goalkeeper Washington Aguerre into the net. Just four minutes later, Alexander Barboza followed suit with a close-range goal, quickly adding to the scoreboard, and Savarino secured his second goal shortly after in the 55th minute.
The Brazilian national team forward Luiz Henrique made his impact felt by netting the fourth goal in the 71st minute with a clever lob over Aguerre. Igor Jesus, who recently represented Brazil in the South American World Cup qualifying rounds, capped off the scoring in the 79th minute.
On the preceding day, Atletico Mineiro also had a solid performance, defeating Argentina’s renowned River Plate 3-0 in the first leg of their semifinal. Atletico Mineiro previously claimed the Copa Libertadores title back in 2013.
Brazilian clubs have shown dominance in the tournament, clinching the championship for the last five years succession, and for the latest four editions, the finals have featured a home advantage for the Brazilian teams.
The second legs of the Copa Libertadores semifinals are set to unfold next week, culminating in the final match scheduled for November 30 at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires.
In a separate incident, over 250 Penarol fans were apprehended in Rio de Janeiro due to disturbances they caused ahead of their team’s semifinal match. According to local law enforcement, these supporters engaged in acts of vandalism and destruction of property, which led to their detainment. Authorities reported that one firearm was recovered in connection to these altercations. These detained fans were barred from attending the match.
In other Copa Sudamericana action on the same day, Brazil’s Cruzeiro and Argentina’s Lanus played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their semifinal. Looking ahead, Brazil’s Corinthians is set to face Argentina’s Racing in a highly anticipated match in Sao Paulo on Thursday.