"Homegrown Heroes! São Paulo beat Libertad away and take the lead in the Libertadores with Cotia's brilliance"

São Paulo defeats Libertad away with a Cotia showcase and takes the lead in the Libertadores

Summary:
With goals from Lucas Ferreira and André Silva, São Paulo defeated Libertad 2-0 in Asunción this Wednesday (April 23) during the third round of the Copa Libertadores. The result puts Tricolor at the top of Group D and brings the team closer to securing a spot in the round of 16.

Lucas Ferreira shines, and São Paulo takes the lead in the Libertadores with a solid win in Paraguay

São Paulo took an important step toward the Copa Libertadores round of 16. Playing away at Estadio Tigo La Huerta in Asunción, the Tricolor defeated Libertad 2-0 in a match played on Wednesday night (April 23). The standout performer of the game was Lucas Ferreira, a product of Cotia, who scored a stunning goal and provided an assist for the second.

Coach Luis Zubeldía made changes to the team, adjusting the tactical setup throughout the match. Despite a rough start and some decision-making errors, São Paulo controlled possession and created the better chances. In the first half, the team struggled with accuracy, and the score remained 0-0 at halftime.

In the second half, Lucas Ferreira’s entry brought new life to São Paulo. In the 61st minute, the forward received an assist from André Silva and finished with class to open the scoring. Shortly after, Libertad had a chance to equalize with a penalty, but Melgarejo missed the opportunity.

The Paraguayan team tried to apply pressure but was thwarted by strong saves from goalkeeper Rafael. In the 82nd minute, Ferreira made a great play on the left wing and crossed to André Silva, who finished into the back of the net to seal the win. Luciano scored in stoppage time, but the goal was ruled offside.

With the victory, São Paulo takes the lead in Group D and gains confidence in their pursuit of qualification. The team’s next match is against Ceará on Saturday (April 26) in the Brazilian League at Arena Castelão.

Tricolor faced Libertad in Asuncion, Paraguay (Photo: Daniel Duarte / AFP)

📋 MATCH REPORT

LIBERTAD 0 x 2 SÃO PAULO
📅 Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
🏆 Competition: Copa Libertadores – Group Stage (Matchday 3)
🏟️ Venue: Estadio Tigo La Huerta, Asunción (PAR)
🎯 Goals:

• Lucas Ferreira, 61' (0-1)

• André Silva, 82' (0-2)

🟨 Yellow Cards:

• Libertad: Melgarejo, Caballero

• São Paulo: Marcos Antônio, André Silva

🔴 Red Cards: None

Group D Standings (after 3 rounds):

1. São Paulo – 7 pts

2. Libertad – 4 pts

3. Talleres – 3 pts (to play on Thursday)

4. The Strongest – 1 pt

Upcoming Matches

São Paulo:

• 🆚 Ceará (A) – Apr 26 – Brazilian League, Matchday 6

• 🆚 The Strongest (H) – May 2 – Copa Libertadores

• 🆚 Grêmio (A) – May 5 – Brazilian League

Libertad:

• 🆚 Sportivo Ameliano (A) – Apr 27 – Paraguayan Championship

• 🆚 Talleres (A) – May 2 – Copa Libertadores

• 🆚 Nacional (H) – May 5 – Paraguayan Championship

Young Guns Deliver! São Paulo beat Libertad away and take top spot in the Libertadores with Cotia’s brilliance

With decisive performances from Lucas Ferreira and André Silva, São Paulo defeated Libertad 2-0 this Wednesday (April 23) in Asunción, during the third round of the Copa Libertadores group stage. The win puts Tricolor at the top of Group D and brings the team closer to securing a spot in the round of 16.

Cotia’s homegrown talent shines as São Paulo gains momentum in the Libertadores

São Paulo relied on its collective strength and academy talents to pull off a strategic away victory in the Libertadores. With goals from Lucas Ferreira and André Silva, the Tricolor defeated Libertad 2-0 at Estadio Tigo La Huerta, in Paraguay, and climbed to the top of Group D with a solid performance and standout individual displays.

Despite a nervous start marked by ball-handling errors, Luis Zubeldía’s side grew into the game and made the most of tactical adjustments. The first half was balanced, with a highlight being André Silva’s movement, who missed a great chance in the 15th minute.

In the second half, Lucas Ferreira came off the bench and changed the game. At the 61st minute, he latched onto an assist from André Silva and struck with his left foot to open the scoring. Libertad had a chance to level it shortly after via a penalty, but Melgarejo squandered it with a poor strike.

São Paulo took advantage of the momentum and sealed the victory in the 82nd minute. After a beautiful team play, Ferreira found Ferreirinha on the left, who crossed perfectly for André Silva to slot it home.

In stoppage time, Luciano even scored what could have been the third goal, but it was ruled out for offside.

With the win, São Paulo now sits at 7 points and leads Group D. Libertad stays on 4 points.