Liga de Quito qualified for the quarterfinals of the South American Soccer Cup on Tuesday after overcoming an adverse score and defeating Gremio 1-2 in Porto Alegre, whose former Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari returned to the bench.
The first goal of the match was made by the local team in the 22nd minute through Diego Souza. But Jordy Alcívar scored the equalizer for the Ecuadorian team in the 43rd minute, and a penalty kick established the comeback in the 54th.
In the first leg played in Quito last week, Gremio had beaten the Ecuadorians 0-1. Former Brazil and Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari 'Felipao' wore a sports jersey with the phrase “Força Arce” (Arce strength), in solidarity with the former Paraguayan side and coach of Cerro Porteño in his country, Francisco Arce, who lost a son this week in a traffic accident.
Arce was one of Felipao's pupils when the coach won the 1995 Copa Libertadores at the head of the Gremio.
Despite the impetuous departure of the Ecuadorians to seek to equalize the global score, after the 0-1 defeat a week ago in Quito, the first dangerous plays were played by the local cast with Leo Pereira and Víctor Bobsín.
The scoring was opened by Diego Souza at minute 22 in a combination with Álisson and with an accurate header.
Before the end of the first half, full-back Bruno Cortez had the opportunity to extend the advantage for “Tricolor Gaúcho”, but it was the visit that went to the break with the tie with a goal at 43 minutes from Jordy Alcívar, who He took advantage of a deconcentration from Vánderson and the experienced Pedro Geromel.
In the second half, the Gremio went looking for victory and Leo Pereira had a clear opportunity at 2 minutes, 47 of play, demanding the Argentine-Ecuadorian goalkeeper Adrián Gabbarini.
Shortly after, in a penalty ratified by the VAR after a foul by Fernando Henrique on Jhojan Julio, Alcívar scored the second for the Quito residents at minute 54, despite local goalkeeper Gabriel Chapecó hitting the side of the shot.
In the final minutes the Guild tried tooth and nail to violate the visiting defense, but the approach of Argentine coach Pablo Marini prevailed with order and merit.
LDU, as the Ecuadorian club is also known, will wait in the quarterfinals for the winner of the key between the Brazilian Athletico Paranaense and the Colombian América de Cali, which was defined this Tuesday in Curitiba and to which the locals arrived with the advantage of an away win by 0-1 in the city of Pereira.