Internacional debuts with a draw in Libertadores on the day of the 114th anniversary

This Tuesday, the day in which it completed 114 years of history, Internacional debuted with a draw in the Copa Libertadores, after being 1-1 with Independiente Medellín, in Colombia, in a duel valid for Group B.

The result was good for the team from Rio Grande do Sul, eliminated from the state championship final. The team will play again for the main South American competition on the 18th, when they will receive the Venezuelan Metropolitanos in Beira-Rio in the second round.

Inter was not bothered to be playing in the opponent’s field and had an aggressive posture, getting more possession of the ball. Alan Patrick was the highlight, concentrating all the organization of the plays.

Medellín, frightened by the attitude of their Brazilian rival, only found themselves on the pitch in the 18th minute, when Pardo hit a bomb from the edge of the area and really scared goalkeeper Keiller.

But the first big chance in the first stage was for Inter. At the age of 21, Alan Patrick escaped through the middle and found Luiz Adriano free in the Colombian defense. The attacker hit well, but goalkeeper Vásquez made a great save.

Medellín’s response came in the 35th minute, after Inter’s defense failed, the ball fell to the opportunist
striker Pons, who finished to Keiller’s courageous save. The goalkeeper ended up getting hurt in the play.

In the last fifteen minutes of the first half, the teams took turns attacking, exchanging passes, but were unable to create new scoring opportunities.

The teams came back from the break faster. Medellín concentrated their moves on the right with the speedy Cetre. And it was from there that a cross came out, at seven minutes, in which Keiller made a bad mistake and collided with Market. The ball fell to Moreno, who only had the trouble to touch it with his head to open the scoring.

At a disadvantage, coach Mano Menezes made changes at Inter. The main one was the entry of scorer Pedro Henrique, who tried several moves, but not without success. In the best chance, the attacker kicked hard, but Vásquez made another good save.

Even without good technique, Inter insisted and got the tie, in the 40th minute. Lucca believed in a loose ball on the left. The cross went to Wanderson, who forced Vásquez to make another beautiful save, but Alan Patrick, Inter’s best player on the field, hit the ball hard to make it 1-1.

From then until the end, the team from Rio Grande do Sul stayed in its field and didn’t take big risks against Medellín, who, desperate, failed to create goalscoring opportunities.

For Group D, The Strongest defeated River Plate, by 3 to 1, in La Paz, Bolivia, in the debut of Group B, which still has Sporting Cristal and Fluminense, who face each other this Wednesday, in Lima, in Peru.

DATASHEET

INDEPENDENT MEDELLIN 1 x 1 INTERNATIONAL

INDEPENDENT MEDELLIN – Vasquez; Monroy Ararat, Víctor Moreno, Cadavid and Londoño; Alvarado, Dani Torres and Pardo; Batalla (Loaiza), Pons and Cetre (Yulián Gómez). Technician: David González.

INTERNATIONAL – Keiller; Busts, Vitão, Market (Rodrigo Moledo) and Thauan Lara; Johnny (Baralhas), Carlos de Pena, Maurício (Pedro Henrique), Alan Patrick (Matheus Dias) and Wanderson; Luiz Adriano (Lucca). Technician: Mano Menezes.

GOALS – Victor Moreno at seven and Alan Patrick at 40 minutes of the second half.

REFEREE – Facundo Tello (ARG).

YELLOW CARDS – Dani Torres and Cetre

INCOME AND PUBLIC – Not disclosed.

LOCAL – Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin, Colombia.