Palmeiras Triumphs 2-1 Over River Plate in Copa Libertadores

Buenos Aires (Argentina), Sep 18 (AP) Palmeiras secured a pivotal 2-1 victory over River Plate in the opening leg of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal clash on Wednesday. Defender Gustavo Gomez struck early, putting Brazil's Palmeiras ahead in the sixth minute. Striker Vitor Roque extended the lead with a deft finish in the 41st minute. The Brazilian side, eager to reclaim their Copa Libertadores title—last won consecutively in 2021—will host the second leg on September 24 at Allianz Parque in Sao Paulo.

River Plate, a four-time holder of the coveted trophy, found some solace when Lucas Martinez netted a late goal in the 89th minute, keeping the Argentinian side's hopes alive for the return leg.

In concurrent quarterfinal action, Racing holds a slender 1-0 advantage over Velez Sarsfield. On Thursday, Sao Paulo will lock horns with LDU Quito, while Estudiantes from Argentina faces off against Flamengo.

The grand finale of South America's prestigious tournament, the Copa Libertadores, is scheduled for November 29 in Lima, Peru. (AP)

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)