Mirassol will have to overcome the altitude, an intimidating record and the pressure caused by the latest results to continue writing its unprecedented trajectory in the Copa Libertadores. Leão faces LDU this Thursday, at 7pm, at the Casa Blanca stadium, in Quito (EQU), earning a place in the quarter-finals of the continental competition.
Mirassol challenges altitude and LDU's record for historic place in the Libertadores quarterfinals
Mirassol will have to overcome the altitude, an intimidating record and the pressure caused by the latest results to continue writing its unprecedented trajectory in the Copa Libertadores. Leão faces LDU this Thursday, at 7pm, at the Casa...
The 1-1 draw in the first leg, played in Maião, left the match completely open. A new equality, regardless of the number of goals, will lead to penalties.
- It will be Mirassol's first match as a visitor in a Libertadores knockout stage.
- The challenge, however, goes beyond the club's lack of experience in international knockout matches.
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The 1-1 draw in the first leg, played in Maião, left the match completely open. Whoever wins in Ecuador advances directly. A new equality, regardless of the number of goals, will lead to penalties.
It will be Mirassol's first match as a visitor in a Libertadores knockout stage. The challenge, however, goes beyond the club's lack of experience in international knockout matches.
Located around 2,800 meters above sea level, the Rodrigo Paz Delgado Stadium, known as Casa Blanca, became an LDU fortress against Brazilian teams. Since the arena opened in 1997, the Ecuadorian team has hosted clubs from Brazil on 33 occasions and suffered only six defeats.
There were 22 victories for LDU, five draws and six Brazilian triumphs, with 65 goals scored by the home team and 34 conceded. The last club in Brazil that managed to win at the stadium was Grêmio, in the 2021 Copa Sudamericana, in a match played without an audience during the pandemic.
Since then, LDU has had 11 unbeaten games in Quito against Brazilians, with eight wins and three draws. The retrospect increases the size of Mirassol's mission, which already knows the difficulties of operating on site.
The two clubs faced each other in the Ecuadorian capital during the group stage of this edition of the Libertadores. On that occasion, LDU won 2-0. Mirassol lost Negueba during that match, after a harsh tackle suffered by the striker, who had a multiligament injury in his knee, underwent surgery and remains out.
The team that returns to the Ecuadorian capital, however, is quite modified. Five players used in that defeat have already left the club: Lucas Mugni, Galeano, Nathan Fogaça, Everton Galdino and Tiquinho Soares.
Coach Rafael Guanaes needed to rebuild important sectors during the season. In midfield, the coach started to use a formation with greater marking power, with options such as Neto Moura, Wallisson, Denilson, Japa and Cazonatti.
In attack, Bruno Santos assumed the role of offensive reference. Edson Carioca gained space on the right side, while Alesson and Fernandinho compete for position on the other edge of the field.
Changing parts also represents an opportunity. Although Mirassol has lost some experienced names, the team that enters the field does not have exactly the same characteristics as the team defeated by LDU in the group stage.
The recent moment, however, demands reaction. Leão arrives at the clash after suffering a 5-1 defeat to Flamengo in Maião, the club's biggest defeat at home in nine years. The result also returned the team to the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship, with 23 points, in 17th position.
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