São Paulo And Vélez Reach The Copa Libertadores Quarter Finals

On Tuesday night São Paulo And Vélez Sarsfield joined Racing Club in qualifying for the quarter finals of the 2025 Copa Libertadores.

Vélez Defeats Fortaleza

Vélez Sarsfield will take on their Buenos Aires neighbours Racing in the quarter finals of the tournament after defeating Fortaleza of Brazil in the round of 16.

Vélez, who won an Argentinian league title in 2024, won just four of the first 16 league games this season. That poor domestic form hasn’t halted continental performance though. Vélez won the Copa Libertadores for the first and only time in 1994 but they intend to double that trophy haul this year.

The Argentinian club drew the first leg 0-0 in Brazil and enjoyed a 2-0 win at home in the second leg on Tuesday night. Fortaleza, in truth, played badly on the night. The visiting team didn’t create any clear-cut chances in the game and Vélez raced into a 2-0 lead within 30 minutes.

As the rain poured down on Buenos Aires, Maher Carrizo gave the hosts the lead with a header after just seven minutes of the match. 20 minutes later Fortaleza’s famous striker Deyverson gifted the ball to Vélez in the midfield and Tomás Galván doubled the lead within seconds.

There was no coming back from an uninspiring Fortaleza outfit who currently sits way down in 19th position in the Brazilian Série A table. At least the club can now focus on rescuing what has been a dismal league campaign to date.

São Paulo Keeps Libertadores Dream Alive

São Paulo, by the clubs own very high standards, have been unsuccessful in continental competition recently. Between 1992 and 2005 the club won three Copa Libertadores titles and three intercontinental titles, but since then ‘SPFC’ has struggled to win silverware.

The 2023 Copa do Brasil title has helped return confidence to the epic Morumbis stadium, which always bursts into life on Copa Libertadores nights. On Tuesday São Paulo welcomed Colombian side Atlético Nacional for the second leg of their encounter, after a cagey 0-0 draw in the opening leg in Medellín.

Like the Racing Club and Peñarol encounter on the same night, this game was full of action and boasted an atmosphere fit to host a Copa Libertadores final, never mind round of 16 clash. Within the first ten minutes of the game both sides might have scored, but it was hosts São Paulo that took the lead with a header at the back post.

The home supporters might have expected an easier night from then on, but Atlético Nacional, who has won two Copa Libertadores titles in its history, fought back until it found a second half equaliser.

Penalty Kicks Separated The Teams

Atlético Nacional were fantastic on the night, playing expansive football away from home. The Colombian side actually managed more expected goals than São Paulo (1.65 to 1.53) but home goalkeeper Rafael and centre-back Alan Franco had big defensive moments to remember.

The former Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos scored the Atlético Nacional goal from the penalty spot, and it would be penalty kicks that would decide the match after the two teams remained deadlocked during the game.

The shoot-out was incredibly tense, but the home side won by four goals to three when the final Nacional kick-taker Marino Hinestroza failed to convert. The miss sparked scenes of jubilation in the São Paulo stadium and the hosts can now look forward to a tie against the winners of Botafogo or LDU Quito in the next round.