Cruzeiro Esporte Clube Secures Semifinal Spot in Copa Sudamericana After Victory Over Club Libertad
Hard-Fought Match Ends with 2-0 Scoreline
Belo Horizonte, Brazil - Cruzeiro Esporte Clube (Cruzeiro) has advanced to the semifinals of the Copa Sudamericana after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Club Libertad of Paraguay on Thursday night at the Estadio Mineirão.
Despite a slow start, Cruzeiro took the lead in the 35th minute when Waguininho's cross found Bruno Rodrigues unmarked in the box, and he headed home from close range.
The goal seemed to energize Cruzeiro, and they began to control the match. They doubled their lead in the 65th minute when Edu broke free down the left flank and crossed for Wellington Nem, who tapped in from a few yards out.
Club Libertad pushed for a goal in the remaining minutes, but Cruzeiro's defense held firm, and they saw out the victory to secure their place in the semifinals.
Cruzeiro Continues Impressive Run
The victory extends Cruzeiro's unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches, and they will now face either Independiente del Valle of Ecuador or Deportivo Táchira of Venezuela in the semifinals.
Cruzeiro has been in impressive form in the Copa Sudamericana this season, winning all six of their matches so far. They will be looking to add to their trophy cabinet, having won the competition twice before, in 1992 and 1997.
Disappointment for Club Libertad
The defeat was a disappointing end to Club Libertad's Copa Sudamericana campaign. The Paraguayan side had reached the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time since 2017, but they were unable to overcome a strong Cruzeiro team.
Despite the defeat, Club Libertad can take heart from their performance in the competition. They will now turn their attention to the Paraguayan Primera División, where they are currently in third place.
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