The group stage of the 2021 Copa Libertadores has kicked off with interesting matches on most groups, leaving fans and experts desperate for more when it comes to seeing their teams in action.
Before we go deeper into what this week's games have in store for us, we should dive into the first games played in the group stage. For starters, Palmeiras was the only team to win their game in group A, while Defensa y Justicia and Independiente del Valle drew their clash. In Group B, the surprising Bolivian side Always Ready shocked the world with a two-nil win over Internacional, while Deportivo Táchira also defeated Olimpia to kick things off with a bang. Curiously, both Olimpia and Internacional are deemed to win the group, which will now require a comeback from both of them.
Group C also gave fans a surprise, as Barcelona defeated Santos in their first game. Later, Boca Juniors struggled but prevailed over Bolivian side The Strongest with a 1-0 score. Group D teams showed just how close the games will be in this edition, as River Plate, Fluminense, Santa Fe, and Junior drew their games from last week.
Group E started with a win for Sao Paulo over Sporting Cristal, while Racing and Rentistas started the tournament with a draw. Meanwhile, Argentinos Juniors and Atlético Nacional are now on top of Group F with their wins over Universidad Católica and Nacional.
Group G began with a win for Flamengo, while LDU Quito and Unión La Calera held themselves to a 2-2 draw. Last, but not least, Cerro Porteño started the tournament with a victory over América de Cali. Atlético Mineiro, the other would-be favorites in this group, were held to a one-all draw by Deportivo La Guaira.
There will be six games being played on April 27 to kick off Matchday 2, with Boca Juniors vs Santos being the most relevant game that day. Seven games will be played on Wednesday, where Nacional vs Atlético Nacional will be the highlight of the day. Last, but not least, there will be three more being played on Thursday to see the conclusion of Matchday 2, with Santos facing the debutants Rentistas being the match to keep track of. Follow the links below for further details on all games.
