Open games in Latin America – 10/01/2023 – Juca Kfouri

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. A fun week, this one, on the 3rd, 4th and 5th, of the return games of the semi-finals of the Sudamericana and Libertadores cups, for everything to end on Saturdays, October 28th and November 4th, the first in Uruguay, the second in Maracanã.

On Tuesday, at Castelão do Fortaleza, which will host a packed Corinthians as underdogs after finishing 1-1 in Itaquera.

Noting Ceará’s favoritism goes beyond accounting for the home factor, because Tricolor do Pici is better than Alvinegro from São Paulo, a terrible visitor.

This is far from understating the hosts’ qualification for the very final, initially scheduled for Maldonado, neighboring Punta del Leste, but which could move to the legendary Centenário stadium, in Montevideo, if Corinthians surprises.

It will be Mano Menezes’ first game on the bench and an almost miracle is expected from him, as long as Cássio and Renato Augusto are having a blessed night.

Argentine Juan Vojvoda’s team lacks stars of such stature and is left with a well-oiled squad that knows what it wants, whether it plays wherever it plays, be it the starters or the reserves. As was abundantly demonstrated in the draw against Grêmio, on the same day that Timão were easily beaten by São Paulo, at Morumbi.

Corinthians’ chances are as usual: football is football and vice versa, just as a knockout is a knockout and vice versa. Just forget, rare readers, the weight of the shirts: Fortaleza will be on the field proudly, with their heads held high, and Corinthians will have a ton on their backs.

On Wednesday, the stage leaves the Northeast for the South of Brazil.

In Beira-Rio, which is also taken over by the Colorado crowd, Internacional hosts Fluminense, another team traumatized by the bad results away from Rio, and after the spectacular draw at Maracanã.

Even so, it would be foolhardy to point to the Gauchos as favorites, because they were able to guarantee themselves in the first game, when the opponent had one less player in the first half, and they lost the chance.

Furthermore, there are so many players on both sides capable of deciding that we can only hope for a contest as admirable as the first game.

Is it an exaggeration to say that this is the most important game of Fernando Diniz’s life so far? More than this, just the next one, if I leave Porto Alegre alive.

Finally, on Thursday, a small green house for so many people, Boca Juniors comes, now, much more shirt than team.

Favorite Palmeiras will need to impose themselves with the football they are capable of and have been lacking, because, as we know, Argentines play little ball at home or away.

The history is worth it here: Boca is six-time continental champion and Palmeiras three-times; They have already played 11 games for the Libertadores with two wins for each side and seven draws; In the knockout stages, the Xeneizes did better three times — in the finals in 2000 and in the semifinals in 2001 and 2018.

That’s why you shouldn’t be too careful, because they will come looking to take the decision to the penalty spot and trust in Sergio Romero’s ability to catch them.

He, 36 years old and 1.92 m, saved 30% of his shots in his career compared to 15% for Weverton, 35 and 1.89 m, and took 10 of the last 19 penalties — 4 of 7 in normal time and 6 of 12 in tiebreakers .

João Ricardo got 19%, Cássio 22.5%, Rochet 18.5% and Fábio 16%.

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