Athletico Paranaense reached its second Copa Sudamericana after beating Bragantino

With an acrobatic pirouette, the striker solved with scissors the final of Brazilian teams played in front of about 10,000 fans in the rejuvenated Centenario stadium.Between lights and music, the hot day of the capital of the South American country opened with a show that made the thousands of fans who arrived at the Centenario stadium dance.Minutes later, the show was in charge of the 22 protagonists, who jumped on the field determined to write a new page in the great history of continental football. On the side of Paranaense, the coach, Alberto Valentim, opted for an eleven with three defenders, four midfielders and three attackers. In this way, the technical director, who on this day debuted in front of the ‘Furacao’ in the present Sudamericana, maintained the tactical drawing that Paulo Autuori had used in the semifinals. In Bragantino, Mauricio Barbieri could not count on Eric Ramírez and instead gave helinho entry.A day earlier, during the press conference, the coach announced that this could happen and warned that his team was “prepared, trained and organized” to play. In the first minutes of play, Bragantino handled the ball and generated their best options for the left sector of the attack. At full speed, Edimar and Helinho complicated the Paranaense, which backed down and put its eleven players on their own field. By one and by two, the Argentine Tomás Cuello was close to converting with shots that did not transform into a goal for very little. Encouraged by a ‘crooked’ that did not cease in his breath, the Paranaense went ahead and set off the alarms of the goalkeeper Cleiton. A distant shot and a counterpunch led by Kayzer were just a taste of what would happen moments later. In the 28th minute, after the Bragantino goalkeeper showed off with an impressive stop, a pirouette from Nikao sent the ball to the back of the goal and put the 1-0.On the court, the figure of the ‘Furacao’ celebrated hugging his teammates. In the stands, the fans shouted and continued singing under the Tower of Tributes located in one of the stands of the Historical Monument of Football Mundial.De this way, the first half went with a 1-0 victory for the team that had already conquered the South American in the 2018 season. Bragantino again took the reins of the game and approached the rival goal with many centers. Paranaense retreated again and opted for a counterpunch that never came. With many touches in the middle of the field and several fouls, the match lowered its revolutions, something that favored the ‘Furacao’. A left leg shot from Artur was able to tie the game, but the shot was missed outside. This was the clearest move that the striker had, one of the figures of his team and one of the top scorers of this Sudamericana.With several changes, Bragantino went on the attack to seek equality in the final moments. His rival defended the advantage with a defense that again had in the captain Thiago Heleno one of the figures. After 90 minutes, the referee marked the end and there was no time for more. Athletico Paranaense won the Copa Sudamericana in Montevideo and became the first Brazilian team to achieve “the great conquest” on two occasions.- Technical sheet:1. Athletico Paranaense: Santos; Pedro Henrique, Thiago Heleno, Nicolás Hernández (d.74, Zé Ivaldo); Marcinho, Erick (m.82, Fernando Canesin), Léo Cittadini (m.94, Nicolas), Abner; Nikao, Kayzer (m.74, Pedro Rocha) and David Terans (m.74, Christian). Coach: Alberto Valentim0. Red Bull Bragantino: Cleiton; Aderlan, Fabricio Bruno, Leo Ortiz, Edimar (m.75, Luan); Praxedes (m.81, Alerrandro), Jadsom, Tomás Cuello (m.81, Gabriel Novaes); Artur (m.87, Leandrinho), Ytalo (m.87, Jan Hurtado) and Helinho.Coach: Mauricio Barbieri.Goals: 1-0: m.28, Nikao.Referee: Uruguayan Andrés Matonte. He admonished Fabricio Bruno, Aderlan, Léo Cittadini, Abner and Erick.Incidences: Final of the 2021 edition of the Copa Sudamericana, played at the Centenario stadium, in Montevideo.

Original source in Spanish