Santos Win But In The End Lose.

By: Mauro | May 23rd, 2008

Ok, so someone needs to get América coach Juan Antonio Luna out to Buenos Aires to give Diego Simeone a little tutorial on how to field a good defense, because América’s boys really did their all to keep Santos at bay. Of course, I’m well aware that it does help when you can line up five defenders at the back and play everyone behind the ball. It was a joke, relax.

So with this strategy, Luna had one less midfielder, and it makes sense that América had zero shots altogether to Santos’ ten shot total with six on goal. The Mexicans had come out and played a solely defensive set last night with at least nine men behind the ball.

Santos threw everything they had at the América defense and goal last night and were rewarded again and again with nothing. Kleber Periera had easily his best match of the Libertadores but in the end it was not enough.

Mauricio Molina had a shot from outside the area kept out by América keeper, Guillermo Ochoa, who had a fantastic night. Like Salvador Cabañas last week, this week it was Ochoa who did all he could to keep América in the game and keep Santos from turning the tables on them. He had an inspired evening.

When Santos coach, Emerson Leao made his substitutions, he put on Mariano Tripodi and Michael Jackson Quiñonez for Betao and Wesley respectively, was when Santos hit paydirt. On Quiñonez’ first touch, he crossed the ball in from the right and it landed perfectly on Kléber Pereira’s head which he had little trouble putting away with a lovely floater over Ochoa. 1-0 to Santos, they were halfway there and could force penalties.

But Santos had trouble putting away the many chances they created. They suffered from not being able to bury the ball in the net or Ochoa was just too much for Kleber and his boys up front. And that was all she wrote. Not even the presence of Santos’ idols Pelé and Robinho could spur on the local side to get one more in the goal.

So, for the third time in their history, América advance to the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores. On the other side, LDU Quito wait for them in their match at the Azteca Stadium next week. América are still riding that emotional wave, the only thing that remains to be seen is if the wave ends against LDU Quito or goes far beyond them.

I had this match ending in a draw. I don’t think that was unreasonable since Cabañas has been so on fire and we all knew Santos was going to be coming in to this one ready to attack. Ochoa was decisive and Santos dominated the midfield.

Check the CONMEBOL website for results, stats and upcoming matches.