Vasco lost 1-0 to Palmeiras in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinal at Nubank Parque on Sunday, with the result compounded by defender Saldivia’s second-half red card. The dismissal left Vasco playing with 10 men while already trailing on the scoreboard.
Speaking at a press conference, coach Pedro Emanuel attributed the incident to inexperience. He said many of his players are 23 or 24 years old and have faced few matches involving such intense pressure and tension. He also recalled a similar dismissal for Andrés Gómez in the semifinal first leg against Boca Juniors at La Bombonera.
Pedro Emanuel acknowledged that he disagreed with one of the yellow cards shown to Saldivia, but said players must be more careful once they have been booked. Saldivia received his second yellow while stopping a counterattack led by Vitor Roque.
The referee’s first-half bookings also affected Vasco’s decisions during the match. Lucas Piton, who started in place of Cuiabano, was substituted at halftime after being booked. Lescano, whom the report identified as Vasco’s best player, was also taken off earlier than planned because of his yellow card. Saldivia remained on the pitch but was eventually sent off.
The episode echoed the previous semifinal against Boca Juniors. In that match, Andrés Gómez was dismissed after pushing the referee during an argument. Vasco held on for a 1-0 win in Argentina but missed the player in the return leg, losing 3-1 and exiting the South American competition.
The match against Palmeiras also prompted strong complaints from Vasco’s directors and players over the officiating, particularly after a possible handball by Alexander Barboza in the Palmeiras penalty area was not awarded as a penalty.
Despite the defeat, the one-goal margin leaves Vasco in contention for a place in the Copa do Brasil final. The second leg will be played at São Januário next Sunday at 5 p.m. Brasília time. A one-goal Vasco victory would send the tie to a penalty shootout, while a win by two or more goals would secure direct qualification.
Sources: Globo Esporte.