With a brace from Reinaldo, Grêmio won 2-1 against Fluminense on Tuesday, August 13, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, after enduring the continuous attacks from the defending champion with one player less.
Read also:
Grêmio, playing at home, confirmed their good moment in the competition with this result, after finishing second in the group stage.
The first half ended 0-0 in a fast-paced and balanced game, in which Fluminense dominated ball possession against a Grêmio that constantly threatened with their counterattacks.
Fluminense came back from the break more aggressively, and the first goal soon arrived when Lima, freshly substituted into the game, received a pass from Ganso in the area and sent the ball to the back of the net in the 60th minute.
However, in the 76th minute, a penalty for a handball inside the area by the carioca team allowed Grêmio to equalize the match with a shot from Reinaldo, who just three minutes later scored again to put his team ahead on the scoreboard.
Despite the expulsion of Rodrigo Ely for an assault on Ganso, Grêmio managed to withstand the attacks from Fluminense until the final whistle.
The Porto Alegre team, three-time champions of the Libertadores, entered the match after being eliminated last week from the Brazil Cup, but with better results in the league, where they currently sit thirteenth.
Meanwhile, Fluminense, which is also eliminated from the Cup, remains mired in the relegation zone of the league after a disastrous start to the season.