🎥 Fortaleza held by Vélez, Libertadores hopes in doubt | OneFootball

At Arena Castelão, Fortaleza ended in a 0 x 0 draw with Vélez Sarsfield on Tuesday (12), in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the 2025 CONMEBOL Libertadores.

The first half was lively, with the Argentinians threatening with Braian Romero as early as nine minutes in. Helton Leite stepped in to save.

The Laion's goalkeeper also made his presence felt with Carrizo's shot and Mammana's dangerous header.

The best opportunity for Tricolor do Pici was Breno Lopes' "shot," but Marchiori sent it for a corner.

After the break, Fortaleza returned a bit better, circling the Argentine area more, but with rare finishes.

In the final minutes, Matheus Rossetto committed a hard foul, received a second yellow card followed by a red, making the Lion's situation even more complicated.

🚦 What's Next

With the draw, whoever wins next Tuesday (19) in Argentina will advance to the quarter-finals of the Libertadores.

If the score is tied again, the spot will be decided by penalties.

Before that, however, Fortaleza returns to the field on Saturday (16), when they visit Fluminense at Maracanã, for the 20th round of the Brasileirão.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 THIAGO GADELHA - AFP or licensors