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Copa Sudamericana: Fluminense 3 - 1 Banfield [Fri Sep 16th, 2005]
Cariocas Fluminense climbed to an important win over Argentineans Banfield in São Januário, now in the luxurious position of being classified even if the ‘Tricolor das Laranjeiras’ lose by a one-goal margin in the Buenos Aires return game on the 28th September.
The winner of the duel will face either DC United or Universidad Católica of Chile in the quarter finals of the South American Cup / Copa Sulamericana / Copa Sud-americana.
The first half kicked off with the two teams jabbing at each other, Tuta finding a weak spot with a sixth minute header off a right flank cross that went wide. Banfield hit back with a slew of attacks that was rewarded by a twelfth minute goal as a series of quick one-twos ended with Pagés’s right wing cross and Dátolo’s accurate volley.
Barely a minute later the hosts squared the game off when Petkovic found Leandro and the striker banged the ball past Santillo. In his over-enthusiastic celebration, Leandro climbed the fence and was shown his first yellow of the match.
The game could have gone either way; Kléber saving a Lujambio strike acrobatically, but Leandro being sent off (25 min) for simulating a penalty with a hammy dying swan routine.
Sand took advantage of the Flu nervousness and immature feelings of unfair treatment by the Bolivian ref, almost putting Banfield ahead in the waning moments of the first half. The break saw Lino on for a wobbly Juan, Beto also replacing Juninho in a reflection of Coach Abel Braga’s pre-match doubts.
Flu squeezed Banfield back into their own half, although Dátolo could have netted his brace in a lightning counter-attack. The home response came via Petkovic and Tuta, but the number nine wasted his first clear chance of the night.
He made up for his miss (70 min) – albeit in a clear offside position – by whacking home Preto Casagrande’s daisy-cutter of a pass. Four minutes from time the opportunistic centre-forward got his brace as he tapped in a Beto pass.
Venue: São Januário, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Referee: René Ortubé (Bolivia)
Linesmen: Iván Gamboa and Arol Valda (Bolivia)
Yellow Card: Barraza, Sand,Cvitanich, Lujambio and Pagés (B)
Red Card: Leandro
FLUMINENSE: Kléber, Gabriel, Gabriel Santos, Igor and Lino (Juan); Arouca, Preto Casagrande, Juninho (Beto) and Petkovic; Leandro and Tuta
Coach: Abel Braga
BANFIELD: Santillo, Barraza (Paletta), Civelli, Sanguinetti and Pagés; Galarza, Leiva, Lux (Barrionuevo) and Dátolo; Lujambio and Sand (Cvitanich)
Coach: Carlos Leeb
Aaron Marcus
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