Well that was one of the worst matches of football I’ve ever seen. Cerro Porteno advanced to the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores after winning a penalty shootout against Estudiantes 5-3 at home, following two goalless draws in 180 minutes of bland, insipid play. It really was dire - a look at the halftime statistics would reveal that there was a foul committed every time a kitten made someone happy, which for all intents and purposes meant nothing was going on whatsoever.
Cerro Porteño Vs. Estudiantes La Plata: Hosts Advance On Penalties 5-3
It took until the 72th minute (I counted by hand because it was more entertaining than watching the match) for either side to register a clear-cut chance, with a low pass finding Cerro Porteno’s Juan Iturbe in the six yard box. With Augsutin Orion out of position, it looked like the midfielder had to score, but his shot was expertly charged down by a defender, and the chance - the only clear cut opportunity to score for either team in the whole match - was gone.
It’s fortunate the the Copa Libertadores doesn’t do extra time, except in the final, because I think I might have actually, physically died had I been forced to endure another thirty minutes of that. At least penalties provide drama, right? Wrong! At least at first. Penalties kept going in without any problem whatsoever, until Orion made a huge stop on the seventh spot kick of the evening, saving Luis Caceres’ effort low and to his right.
But that wasn't the end of the tale. Orion was adjudged to have stepped off his line before the ball was struck, and Caceres was offered a re-take, which he put away without a problem. Then up stepped Facundo Sebastián Roncaglia for Estudiantes and he was denied with a brilliant stop by Diego Barreto, who dived... low and two his right. Fortunately for the hosts, Barreto had pulled off an entirely legal save, and they were left knowing that if they scored their next goal, they were through.
Score they did, the trusted right foot of Javier Villarreal nearly taking the net off. The crowd erupted. Cerro Porteno are in the next round. More importantly (at least to me), the game was over. Thank goodness, because that was awful.
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