Argentine newspapers hailed Estudiantes as heroic and historic after the club beat Flamengo on penalties on Thursday night to reach the Copa Libertadores final. The tie was decided at the Maracanã, where the Brazilian side could not find a way through.
A goalless deadlock in two cities
The semifinal followed a 0-0 draw in Buenos Aires, and the second leg at the Maracanã also ended without a goal. Flamengo had the advantage of a man more for almost the entire second half, after Rodríguez was sent off in the sixth minute. Estudiantes held firm with ten men and forced the shootout.
Muslera the hero in the shootout
Estudiantes goalkeeper Muslera was the decisive figure in the penalty decider. He saved spot-kicks from Jorginho, Paquetá and Bruno Henrique, and his side converted enough of theirs to advance 3-2 on penalties.
How the Argentine press reacted
La Nación chose the word ‘heroic’ to sum up the qualification, noting that Estudiantes had ‘resisted with 10 men’ and describing Muslera as enormous in Brazil. Tyc Sports called the result a ‘feat’, while Olé labelled it ‘historic’.
Source: ge.globo.com
