Palmeiras struck first in the opening leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals, as Gustavo Gómez rose high to head home and give the Brazilian side the lead inside just five minutes.

How did Gustavo Gómez score?

In the 5th minute, Andreas Pereira delivered a corner kick from the left that swung to the far post. There, Gómez was left completely unmarked, outjumped Franco Armani, and powered a header into the net to put Palmeiras ahead 1-0.

River, unbeaten and chasing Gallardo’s Libertadores dream

Los Millonarios are in fine form in the domestic tournament, where they lead Zone B of the Argentine Clausura with five wins and three draws in eight games, remaining the only unbeaten side of the season. Last weekend, they defeated Estudiantes 1-2 despite playing much of the match with ten men after Lucas Martínez Quarta’s sending off, a show of character that extended their unbeaten run to 12 matches.

In the Libertadores, Marcelo Gallardo’s team topped their group with three wins and three draws, and in the round of 16 they eliminated Libertad of Paraguay on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw. For this clash, the coach rested several key players and will have at his disposal a squad full of experience, with names like Juan Fernando Quintero, Kevin Castaño, Gonzalo Montiel, and Marcos Acuña, all with international pedigree. In goal will be World Cup champion Franco Armani, while the attack is expected to feature Sebastián Driussi and Maximiliano Salas, a high-profile signing from Racing.

Palmeiras, a Libertadores machine

Verdão, coached by Abel Ferreira, arrive with impeccable credentials: six wins out of six in the group stage, with 17 goals scored and only 4 conceded. In the round of 16, they dispatched Universitario with a 0-4 win in Lima and a scoreless draw in São Paulo, reaffirming their dominance in the continental tournament.

They are also thriving in the Brazilian league. They come off a 4-1 thrashing of Internacional de Porto Alegre, highlighted by a hat-trick from young striker Vítor Roque, which left them second in the table, four points behind leaders Flamengo with a game in hand. That match also marked the debut of experienced Andreas Pereira, signed from England’s Fulham, who joins a squad that already boasts the quality of Felipe Anderson.

A semifinal spot at stake

The clash between Argentines and Brazilians promises to be one of the most exciting of the quarterfinals. River Plate will look to make the most of their home advantage at the Monumental to travel to Brazil with the upper hand, while Palmeiras arrive with the “favorites” tag thanks to their dominant Libertadores form.

The winner of this tie will face the victor of the matchup between Liga de Quito and São Paulo, another clash that highlights the greatness and competitiveness of this edition of South America’s most prestigious tournament.