Peruvian team Melgar succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Lanús, edging the Argentine side closer to qualification for the Copa Sudamericana.
Argentine football teams continued their journey in the Copa Sudamericana on Tuesday, with four teams from the country participating. The clash in Uruguay between Independiente and Boston River drew attention, but let's focus on some of the other battles.
VITORIA 1-1 DEFENSA Y JUSTICIA
Defensa y Justicia and Vitoria drew 1-1 in the Estadio Manoel Barradas in Brazil, a result that left both teams struggling at the bottom of Group B, with three points each. Universidad Católica of Ecuador and Cerro Largo, who play on Wednesday, could potentially overtake them.
Defensa y Justicia had several opportunities to score in the first half, with shots from González and Aguilera almost finding their mark. However, it was Vitoria who scored, capitalizing on a dubious rebound from Bologna's save to take a 1-0 lead. Eva De Dominici, a Defensa y Justicia player, created a stir among her followers by drastically changing her look before the game.
The second half saw both teams struggling to find the back of the net, with Vitoria securing a draw and maintaining their position in the group. Defensa y Justicia will play Universidad Católica de Ecuador on Wednesday, May 14, at 7:00 PM in Florencio Varela. Vitoria will face Cerro Largo on the same day at 9:30 PM in Uruguay.
SPORTIVO LUQUEÑO 0-1 GODOY CRUZ
Godoy Cruz emerged victorious by scoring a 1-0 win against Sportivo Luqueño in the Estadio La Huerta in Paraguay, moving closer to qualifying for the next round of the Copa Sudamericana. They sit at the top of Group D with 10 points, with Gremio hot on their heels with 7 points.
Franco Petroli, the Godoy Cruz goalkeeper, had a quiet first half but managed to save a long-range shot from Federico Santander at half-hour mark. The second half saw Godoy Cruz take control, with several chances to open the scoring, including a shot off the crossbar from Santino Andino.
Agustín Auzmendi eventually sealed the win for Godoy Cruz with a goal in the 71st minute, securing three valuable points for the Argentine team. Godoy Cruz will face Gremio in Brazil on Tuesday, May 14, at 7 PM, while Sportivo Luqueño will try to pick up the pieces against Atlético Grau at home on the same day. If Gremio wins against Atlético Grau before Godoy Cruz play, Godoy Cruz will have already qualified for the next round.
MELGAR 0-1 LANÚS
Lanús secured a crucial away win in Peru by defeating Melgar 1-0 in Arequipa in the Copa Sudamericana's Group G. The result lifted Lanús to the top of their zone, gaining significant momentum ahead of their next match against Boca Juniors in the Apertura tournament's round of 16.
The match was tight and lacked clear chances, with both teams limited to long-range shots. In the final minutes of the game, Agustín Medina capitalized on a rebound in the area to make it 1-0 in the 87th minute. The victory gives Lanús 8 points and positions them favourably in the continental stage.
Lanús will look to secure their qualification at home against Vasco da Gama in their next match. The win in Peru also boosted Lanús' confidence ahead of their next match against Boca Juniors, which will take place on Saturday, May 11, at La Bombonera. Lanús finished seventh in Zone B of the local tournament and will try to pull off an upset against a Boca Juniors side that is still without a permanent coach.
The Copa Sudamericana standings are as follows:
| Position | Team | Points | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference ||----------|--------------------|--------|--------|------|-------|--------|---------------|-----------------|| 1 | Universidad Catolica| 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 || 2 | Cerro Largo | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 || 3 | Vitoria | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 || 4 | Defensa y Justicia | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 |
The Copa Sudamericana continues this week, with several exciting matches to come as teams fight for a chance to advance to the next round.[1][2]
[1] "Copa Sudamericana: Vitoria vs Defensa y Justicia ends in a draw." Football Espana. 5 May 2025. https://www.football-espana.net/news/copa-sudamericana-vitoria-vs-defensa-y-justicia-ends-in-a-draw/238614
[2] "Copa Sudamericana: Godoy Cruz defeat Sportivo Luqueño." Football Espana. 5 May 2025. https://www.football-espana.net/news/copa-sudamericana-godoy-cruz-defeat-sportivo-luqueño/238615
[3] "Copa Sudamericana standings." Copa Sudamericana. 5 May 2025. https://copasudamericana.conmebol.com/es/fase-de-grupos/standings
[4] "Defensa y Justicia aiming to cause upset against Vitoria in Copa Sudamericana." Football Espana. 2 May 2025. https://www.football-espana.net/news/defensa-y-justicia-aiming-to-cause-upset-against-vitoria-in-copa-sudamericana/238360
- Despite the draw against Vitoria, Defensa y Justicia remains ready to challenge Universidad Católica of Ecuador and Cerro Largo in the upcoming Copa Sudamericana matches.
- The football match between Defensa y Justicia and Vitoria in Brazil was marked by several close calls for goals, with Defensa y Justicia's González and Aguilera coming close to scoring in the first half.
- Godoy Cruz's victory over Sportivo Luqueño in the Copa Sudamericana places them dubiously closer to qualifying for the next round, with Gremio hot on their heels in Group D.
- The league standings in the Copa Sudamericana show that Defensa y Justicia and Vitoria, despite drawing, are struggling at the bottom of Group B, with three points each.
