Melgar vs. International: the curse of 43 years to break in Brazil to make history in the Copa Sudamericana | University of Sports | RMMD DTCC

In ’79, when Melgar During its first years in the First Division, a Peruvian team achieved a feat that was never repeated: beat a Brazilian team as a visitor in an international tournament. For the Libertadores, the ‘U’ of Acasuzo, JJ Oré and Leguía won 1-0 against Palmeiras of the mythical Tele Santana, the creator of “Futebol arte”. Four decades later, Melgar, that team that in recent years has been an example of seriousness in local football, will seek to repeat the feat: today (5:15 pm / ESPN) they will face Internacional in Porto Alegre for the second leg of the South American quarterfinals.

The first leg left a bittersweet taste for the Red and Blacks. They didn’t concede goals, but they didn’t score either. At the foot of the Misti, the UNSA stadium was a hive; Y Melgar, an industrial factory that produced serial scoring chances (20 shots, 9 on target). But the goal cry stayed in the throat of the fan. A pending task is peace of mind when defining. The ‘Domino’ creates, generates, but lacks efficiency: their three victories in their last five games -the first of the Lavallén era- ended just 1-0, a result that would obviously serve in Brazil. If tied, there will be lengthening; if equality persists, penalties.

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“With what the team has shown on Thursday, I am excited, the boys are excited”, said coach Pablo Lavallén, who also practiced penalties before the match and worked a lot with the goalkeepers. If there is a definition, Carlos Cáceda must reaffirm his great moment and demonstrate his status as “selection goalkeeper”.

visits to Brazil

If Peruvian football sees with nostalgia that devastating statistic that 43 years ago a Peruvian team did not win in Brazil for international tournaments, Melgar leans on the back of Lavallén, a technician who knows what it means to be a hero in Brazilian lands. In 2019, when he directed the historic Colón de Santa Fe that reached the grand final of that South American, the Argentine emerged victorious by eliminating Atlético Mineiro from the semifinals on penalties.

Now, in charge of another team that wears the colors red and black, Pablo Hernán will seek to emulate his feat. In front will be Inter de Porto Alegre, Paolo Guerrero’s former team, who will not have their ‘9’ (Alemao was expelled for elbowing Orzán in Arequipa) and it is not the ‘cuckoo’ of before but it is still a very strong, very Brazilian. In fact, they haven’t lost at home so far in the tournament.

Also in the memory is the 2011 Universitario campaign led by José Guillermo del Solar, with figures such as Edison Flores and Raúl Ruidiaz. That year, the creams had qualification for the semifinals in their hands after winning 2-0 in the first leg against Vasco da Gama. However, in the second leg, played in Brazil, the locals thrashed 5-2 and advanced to the next stage.

The path of Melgar, worthy of applause

It is the sixth time that a national team is among the top eight in the South American. Alianza (2002), U (2011), Vallejo (2014) and Cristal (2021) also reached the quarterfinals but were unable to overcome that instance. Cienciano, in that golden 2003, he did and came out champion. Melgar He wants to follow that path, that of his classic rival, to get into the great history of Peruvian soccer. But if this is not achieved, it is necessary to review and assess what the Arequipa team has done.

In the group stage, the Sudamericana only rewards the leader with qualification for the round of 16. New and unfair format that left ‘Domino’ unrecognized last season (it was second behind Atlético Paranaense, the champion of that edition). This year, the rojinegros overcame the fence with great performances.

They defeated Fernando Gago’s Racing Club in Arequipa, in days when the Avellaneda team had gone 16 games without losing and was the sensation of Argentine football. They beat River Plate in Uruguay with ten men and a goal at the last minute. And they prevailed against the Brazilian Cuiabá.

In fact, only six Peruvian victories have been recorded against Brazilian teams for the South American. Three of those wins were by Melgar: 1-0 vs. Bahia (2020), 1-0 vs. A. Paranaense (2021), 1-0 vs. Cuiaba (2022). Three years in a row, three joys for our football. However, against those same rivals, visiting Brazil, the ‘Domino’ could not even get a draw.