The referee’s shortlist for the first of the 2024 Copa Libertadores was Colombian – credit Academia Puerto Cabello/ESPN
The 2024 Conmebol Libertadores Cup began with the victory of Academia Puerto Cabello, from Venezuela, 3-2 against Defensor Sporting, from Uruguay in Phase 1.
You may be interested: Colombian Jhon Arias shone in his first game of the year with Fluminense of Brazil: double and assist
In that match there was a Colombian presence, not only in players from the neighboring country’s team, but also in the referee shortlist chosen by Conmebol, which was led by Carlos Ortega as central judge and David Rodríguez in the VAR Video Arbitration room. However, his performance was disputed due to some specific errors.
You can now follow us on WhatsApp Channel.
You may be interested: Édgar Guerra is leaving, but he leaves a million to Millonarios for his transfer to Mexican soccer
The clash between both teams did not take long to offer outstanding moments, since 21 seconds into the game, Academia Puerto Cabello opened the scoring thanks to a play finished by Antonio Romero. Throughout the match, the advantage alternated between the two teams, reflecting the intensity and dynamism characteristic of the Copa Libertadores. Facundo Bernal and Octavio Rivero scored for the Uruguayan team, while Nicolás Fedor and Michael Covea completed the scoring for the local team.
This is the second fastest goal by a Venezuelan team, the first belongs to Carlos Maldonado, who scored for Deportivo Táchira against Sport Marítimo in 1989 at 12 seconds. Third place on the podium goes to a Colombian player, Wilson Pájaro Carpintero, who scored with Caracas on April 13, 2005 against Tigres de México. Another historical fact about the goals in this match is that Miku became the oldest Venezuelan scorer in the entire history of the Copa Libertadores (38 years and 171 days).
You may be interested in: Pan American Games set more fire to the controversy with the Minister of Sports: they ask to accelerate the motion of censure
In terms of discipline, both Ortega and Rodríguez broke down by not noticing the harsh infraction by Colombian Jimmy Congo just seven minutes into the game. The Venezuelan team’s soccer player threw himself on the ground to stop the advance of a rival, with the misfortune that he recklessly stepped on the ankle of his colleague. In the replay you can capture the rudeness of the action that ended with medical assistance to the Uruguayan player. However, the VAR did not consider it to be a sensitive area, so the play was not reviewed.
Carlos Ortega with the new Conmebol clothing for the Copa Libertadores 2024 – credit ESPN
Another fact, not minor, of the commitment was that Carlos Ortega together with Miguel Roldán and David Fuentes; as well as Bismarcks Santiago, who served as fourth referee, launched Conmebol’s new sponsorship with Puma. The judges wore the German brand’s clothing, which stands out for the thick white line on the shoulders and sleeves. This new sponsor also provides the official ball of the competition, which will be black and white and will be called Orbita.
The Colombian teams Atlético Nacional and Águilas Doradas begin their journey in the 2024 Copa Libertadores by facing major rivals in the preliminary phase II. Águilas Doradas will have to face Red Bull Bragantino from Brazil, while Atlético Nacional will await the winner of the match between Aucas from Ecuador and Club Nacional from Paraguay. On the other hand, Millonarios and Júnior, classified directly to the group stage, will be attentive to the bolilleros draw that will define their possible opponents at this stage, based on the new Conmebol ranking for 2024.
The Copa Libertadores is played from February 6 to November 30 – Credit: Conmebol
In the group stage, Millonarios could face teams of the caliber of Fluminense, Atlético Mineiro or even Nacional from Uruguay, depending on the result of the draws and the previous phases. This situation presents a significant challenge for the Bogotá team, which seeks to strengthen its squad to compete at the highest level. In contrast, Júnior de Barranquilla enjoys a favorable position in the Conmebol ranking, which will allow it to avoid teams considered stronger in the group stage, potentially facilitating its advancement to the following rounds of the tournament.
The outlook for Júnior seems more encouraging, as it could meet teams like Peñarol, Táchira and Huachipato in the group stage, which represents a viable opportunity to advance in the competition. This demonstrates the importance of the Conmebol ranking and the strategies that teams must implement to ensure their success in the Copa Libertadores.