Students become friends with history and move to groups of the Libertadores with epic Olympia

Estudiantes, four-time champion of the Copa Libertadores in 17 appearances, returned by their forces and advanced to the group zone of the continental tournament, as did the Paraguayan Olimpia, who hit the batacazo and left the Brazilian Fluminense out.

Olimpia eliminated Flu in the penalty shootout (4-1) after clearly defeating him in regular time 2-0, equalizing the series 3-1 in favor of the cariocas in the first leg.

Olimpia and Estudiantes, who earlier got rid of Chilean Everton, joined America Mineiro qualified on Tuesday in their historic debut in the Libertadores also from the third phase by leaving Barcelona out of Ecuador.

The third stage of the long road ahead of the Libertadores groups will end on Thursday with the duel at the height of La Paz (3,600 meters) between the local The Strongest and Universidad Católica de Ecuador, after a 0-0 match in the first leg.

The Guaraní Dean, with the traditional mystique based on the claw of the Libertadores, submitted to a Carioca team that relied too much on their advantage in the first leg (3-1) and gradually saw their house of cards collapse.

The clear 2-0 win in regular time showed the three-time American champion more emotionally than his Brazilian rival and that was verified in the penalty shootout with 4-1.

On their side, the Pinchas de La Plata almost did not have to strive this Wednesday in their Estadio Uno against a nondescript Chilean Everton, sealing their pass with a 1-0 victory, after having achieved the same result in the first leg in Viña del Mar.

Estudiantes jumps to the group stage in a high stage, with only a small stain last Sunday in the local tournament by falling with Boca and losing the undefeated, although he maintains the leadership of Zone 2.

The draw for the Libertadores group stage will take place on Friday, March 25 at the headquarters of La Conmebol, on the outskirts of Asunción. The losers of the third phase of the main continental tournament will play the same instance but of the South American.

— Second leg matches of the third phase of the Copa Libertadores-2022 (in brackets the results of the first leg and in capital letters those qualified for the group stage):

- Tuesday:

In Guayaquil: Barcelona (ECU) - AMERICA MINEIRO (BRA) 4-5 on penalties, 0-0 (0-0)

- Wednesday:

In La Plata: STUDENTS (ARG) - Everton (CHI) 1-0, (1-0)

In Asunción: OLIMPIA (PAR) - Fluminense (BRA) 4-1 on penalties, 2-0 in regular time (1-3)

- Thursday:

In La Paz: The Strongest (BOL) - Catholic University (ECU) (0-0)