Analysis: Palmeiras does not allow itself to be knocked out, is reborn in an unlikely way and has an epic turnaround | palm trees

Independiente del Valle 2 x 3 Palmeiras | Best moments | 3rd round | CONMEBOL Libertadores 2024

Palmeiras’ heroic turnaround over Independiente del Valle, last Wednesday, in the Conmebol Libertadores, can be told with an analogy to a boxer.

Facing the opponent in an environment that is not conducive to Brazilians, with an altitude of more than 2,500 meters, Verdão entered the duel at a disadvantage. And it got even worse in the first few minutes.

It took just 11 minutes for Palmeiras to receive a hard blow, with a shot from outside the area by 16-year-old Ecuadorian prodigy Kendry Páez. The goal conceded left the team stunned, but still standing.

The problem was that Del Valle couldn’t breathe. With every drop of the Ecuadorians, a feeling of apprehension for the fans.

On the edge of the “ring”, Abel Ferreira realized that the situation was becoming increasingly delicate. In the 33rd minute, he signaled for Weverton to fall to the pitch and buy time to make some adjustments. The coach called Rony, Endrick and Raphael Veiga to the technical area and gave instructions.

The tactic didn’t work. Four minutes later, Del Valle’s second goal. The team was on the ropes. It was a matter of time before he was knocked out and suffered his first defeat in the Libertadores.

But like in a Rocky Balboa film, Verdão drew strength from where he seemed to have none. And with your boy wonder. In the 46th minute, Endrick received a cross from Rony and headed it to reduce the score.

The first round, despite the “punches taken”, ended with a positive result for Verdão.

Inside the changing rooms, Abel Ferreira asked, above all, for a change of attitude from the team. If it continued as in the first half, victory would be unlikely. The players listened well to the commander’s message and came back different.

With more possession of the ball, Palmeiras organized themselves on the field and made some dangerous attempts. The dodges and some blows were already coming more naturally.

The situation improved after 19 minutes, when Luís Guilherme and Estêvão left the bench. At 32, three more changes (entry of Lázaro, Flaco López and Vanderlan) put the team on an equal footing.

At 35 minutes, the equalizer came from two players who came off the bench. Flaco López thought it was a nice touch for Lázaro to shoot past the goalkeeper and score his first in a Palmeiras shirt. Verdão was reborn unexpectedly and left Del Valle aimless.

Abel Ferreira said “kick” before a goal by Luís Guilherme, from Palmeiras

The reins of the duel already belonged to the alviverde team. People began to believe that it was possible to knock out their opponent. And it happened in the last play of the game.

The boy Luís Guilherme received a pass from Lázaro, moved it to his left foot and unleashed a hit that made the Ecuadorian team fall apart. At the edge of the pitch, Abel followed the player, seeming to know what he would do, and said “kick”.

– There is no greater satisfaction than seeing whoever came in turn the result around and the way the whole group celebrated the goal. It’s something difficult to explain, but you can feel it. Congratulations to Del Valle, the first 35 minutes put us on the ropes, he didn’t knock us out, but at one point I thought we would suffer a KO. We knew how to wait and in the 12th round, we knocked out our opponent, congratulations – celebrated Abel .

See how Abel Ferreira and Luis Guilherme’s interview went after Palmeiras’ upset over Del Valle

The party for the heroic victory was not just limited to the field. Players and coaching staff cheered a lot in the locker rooms and sang the song that energizes the team when they are behind the scoreboard.

Once again Abel Ferreira’s Verdão shows why it is so difficult to knock out the current two-time Brazilian champion and who won two Libertadores under the coach’s command.

Once again it showed that Palmeiras “only stops fighting when the game ends”, as Abel said.

Palmeiras players celebrate comeback in the dressing room

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