Bahia's football team delivered an impressive performance on Tuesday, March 25, by overcoming The Strongest and advancing to the next phase of the Copa Libertadores. Having previously drawn 1-1 with The Strongest at altitude, Bahia triumphed 3-0 at their home ground, Arena Fonte Nova, securing their place with an aggregate score of 4-1.
The historic victory reignites the dreams of Bahia's supporters, marking the team's first advancement to this stage of the competition since 1989. Playing under the guidance of head coach Rogério Ceni, Bahia aims to make their mark after 36 years of absence from the tournament.
With two goals from Ademir and one from Lucho Rodríguez, Bahia dominated the match from start to finish. The team eagerly awaits the outcome of the matchup between Boston River and Ñublense, which is set to take place on Wednesday, March 26, to finalize their next opponent for the third phase of the competition.
The match at home saw Bahia establish early control, maintaining possession and pushing forward, much to the delight of their home crowd. Despite some early nerves, the breakthrough came at the 39-minute mark when Lucho González confidently converted a penalty after Jean Lucas was fouled.
This goal had immediate consequences, destabilizing The Strongest's defense as they suffered another setback with the expulsion of Jusino for a reckless challenge.
Buoyed by their numerical advantage, Bahia quickly doubled their lead shortly after halftime. Just three minutes after the break, Ademir capitalized on a mistake by The Strongest's defense, slotting the ball past the goalkeeper for his first of the evening.
The relentless pressure from Bahia continued to mount, with standout player Ademir narrowly missing another goal, thanks to brilliant saves from The Strongest's goalkeeper Banegas. Eventually, Ademir netted his second goal at the 62-minute mark, sealing the result as Bahia continued to dominate the field.
Even with the match seemingly settled, Bahia didn’t relent. Showing no signs of complacency, they kept the momentum going, and opportunities continued to present themselves, yet another from Ademir went wide as they sought to increase their lead.
The last stages of the game saw Ceni rotating his squad, ensuring fresh legs for the upcoming matches as the crowd chanted encouragement from the stands. With no responsive reaction from The Strongest, Bahia maintained their dominance until the final whistle blew, confirming their advancement.
Now, with their focus turned to the next leg of the tournament, Bahia's players and coaching staff are optimistic about their potential to progress even farther, fueled by the passionate support of their fans. Who will they face next? The anticipation builds as the outcome of the Boston River and Ñublense match looms on the horizon.