São Paulo survive two penalties and bring it home | OneFootball

São Paulo left Medellín with a 0-0 draw against Atlético Nacional in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores round of 16 clash—a result shaped mainly by two missed penalties from Edwin Cardona, according to Arquibancada Tricolor.

The home side controlled much of the match at Estadio Atanasio Girardot, pushing São Paulo deep and earning a pair of penalty opportunities that could have transformed the tie. Cardona’s first attempt flew wide of Rafael’s post. Later, after a second spot-kick was awarded, Rafael read Cardona’s effort and made a decisive save, keeping the scores even and São Paulo’s hopes intact.

Defensively, São Paulo had to absorb significant pressure. Left-back Enzo Díaz was at the heart of one of the match’s key moments late in stoppage time, intervening with a strong challenge on Hinestroza to snuff out a dangerous attack. Speaking afterwards in the mixed zone, Díaz said, “It was a 50-50 ball, it was him or me. If he had got past, he’d be one-on-one with our goalkeeper. Luckily things went in my favor, I was able to come in strong but clean on the ball.”

The result leaves the tie finely balanced ahead of the return leg in São Paulo, with everything to play for. São Paulo’s defensive performance—withstanding Atlético Nacional’s tempo, controlling their own box, and surviving major scares—gives them reason for cautious optimism.

The sides meet again next Tuesday at Morumbi, where São Paulo will benefit from home advantage after holding out in Colombia. The goalless draw means a win in the return fixture is enough for progression, but the slim margin for error remains.

(Information from Arquibancada Tricolor)

Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images