Victory is Sweet

Very sorry I wasn't able to get a more thorough liveblog of the game, but two things intervened. First, I was working on a project for a charity auction that is way behind schedule (not my fault, for once - I was given the project on Tuesday and when I asked the deadline, the woman said "yesterday" and I laughed, but then when I looked at the materials the deadline really was Monday). Second, it's a peculiarity of liveblogging that when there's nothing happening it's very easy to liveblog and when it starts to heat up you're too busy watching.

Here's how it went down - Colo Colo missed so many chances in the first half, you knew that unless Sport somehow turned their defense around at the half they would break through. Indeed, Colo Colo got a two-on-one break inside the box and Rodrigo Millar barely squeezed it past a diving Magrao into the goal.

Things looked bleak after Paulo Baier blew a perfect chance from about eight yards out, blasting it over the goal when he had only the keeper to beat. Just a few minutes later, though, a run by Dutra set up a square pass to Fumagalli, who in turn set up Hamilton on a wide-open shot from about twenty-five yards. It was a nice-looking low drive that unluckily hit off the left post and bounded out of the goalmouth to the right side of the box, but a streaking Moacir pounced on the ball and stuck it first-time into the back of the net!

Just like that all the wind went out of Colo Colo's sails, and a previously subpar Moacir was infused with new life. Colo Colo's only hope seemed to be to hang on and split the points, but it was not to be as a streaking Dutra popped the ball into the middle of the box for Vandinho, who got by with a push in the back before getting a nifty flick on the ball and sneaking it past a bewildered Christian Munoz.

The rest of the match was mostly made up of Sport just missing chances to go up 3-1. All in all, hard to argue with a hard-fought win to secure a spot in the knockout round, but Sport still have some questions to answer on defense. If they are going to use Igor to bolster the attack as they did through much of this match, they need to be sharper in their communication and discipline on the back line.

Victory!

Full report as soon as I can get a download of the match and comment on it. The bottom line is Sport are through to the knockout stage - they defeated Colo Colo 2-1 in a great finish.

Valeu Sport!

The Good News

It's still 0-0 at the half. Here's hoping Sport come out with more in the second. Only Hamilton and Magrao look decent. Moacir's not been bad but not up to his usual standard. Sport's forwards are nearly invisible and their back line play is a mess.

Ugh.

Igor Creates a Chance...

But it's denied. Then another, but it too comes to nothing. Still, things are looking up in the 25th minute.

Magrao Magical in the Seventh

Colo Colo got a free run at the goal and somehow Magrao kept his cool and caught the shot taken at point blank range. Great play by the keeper but this doesn't look good.

Colo Colo Dominate First Five Minutes

Sport got nothing in the run of play in the first five minutes; their best moves were a couple repeated Hamilton ground passes to Moacir, one of which yielded a free kick just outside the attacking third.

Colo Colo had a couple decent moves but never got a good look at the goal.

It's On

ibid

...or Not

Turns out the game is at 8:50, not 8:30. My bad.

...and Away We Go

Sport have Colo Colo in about 10 minutes. I'm not sure if I might incur some problems by openly posting a link to a site that shows bootleg broadcasts but since almost no one in the US actually gets these games, as far as I know, I would think it's not that big a deal.

This match is Sport's best chance to make the knockout stage - if they win they are in. If not, there could be trouble.

Valeu Sport!

Magrao Shines

Though Palmeiras was blasting open shots at the net all night, somehow Magrao let in only one goal, on a penalty that never should have been called. A finer performance could scarcely be imagined.

Unfortunately, that's about the only positive you can take from this admittedly decent result. Moacir was fluid and smart, like always, but the degree to which he stuck out as the ONLY player with his head in the match for long stretches doesn't bode well for Sport's chances to win the cup.

They need to find some consistency and upgrade their defensive play during these last two group matches. If they head into the knockout stage as a group winner, it will be because someone besides Moacir, Magrao, Paulo Baier or Ciro steps up his game. At that point, they'll be darkhorse darlings to win the cup; if it stays like it is now, forget it.

Starting to Heat Up

Sport look much better since Paulo Baeir went off for Fumagalli just before the previously mentioned Magrao save.

Not to run the guy down - I love the man - but it wasn't Paulo Baeir's night and things are clicking much better now. Game on.

Oh! Magrao!

Magrao just made the save of the cup so far, stopping a wicked free kick with a desperation dive, only to rise up to the sight of a wide open player shooting at the upper half of his net from two yards. The shot was fired right at Magrao's face, but he didn't flinch from the blow and it ricocheted harmlessly to the back of the box, catching several players offside and ending the threat.

Regardless of the outcome of the match, a save for the ages.

Sport Foils Attempted Robbery - For Now

Sport have played so horribly in three halves against Palmeiras that I've so far been too angry to blog about it, but my spirits were just lifted when Wilson got a cheap stickback off a free kick to even the second match with Palmeiras at 1-1.

Sport went into their two Palmeiras matches needing nothing more than one win to make it highly likely that they would advance to the knockout stage of the cup.

Instead, Sport played terribly at home against Palmeiras, losing 2-0, and spent much of the first half of the away leg down 1-0 after an AWFUL, INDEFENSIBLE, BORDERLINE CORRUPT penalty call by the idiotic and/or dishonest pathetic excuse for a referee.

Given the loss at home, an away draw would be a decent result of Sport here - it would put them three points clear of the two teams below them in the standings with two matches yet to play. That's not automatic but it's very close.

A win would be great, but let's at the very least hang onto this point. It's a big one.

Valeu Sport!