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12 February 2025

Monagas Triumphs Over Defensor Sporting To Advance

Venezuelan side secures 4-0 aggregate victory to reach Copa Libertadores second round.

Monagas has secured its advancement to the second round of the Copa Libertadores 2025 after defeating Defensor Sporting 2-0 at Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, on February 11, 2025. This victory saw Monagas winning the aggregate score 4-0, having previously won the first leg at home, and sets them up for a matchup against Paraguay’s Cerro Porteño.

With this successful elimination, Monagas not only continues its dream of reaching the group stages of the coveted tournament but also secures financial gains. The team has already garnered $400,000 (approximately R$ 2.3 million) for progressing through the first phase and will receive another $500,000 (around R$ 2.8 million) following this victory.

The match began with Defensor Sporting showing aggression as they sought to overturn their first-leg deficit. The home side dominated possession early on, maintaining relentless attacking pressure, but they struggled to penetrate Monagas' strong defensive setup. Despite having opportunities, including chances from players like Prieto and Soria, Defensor failed to capitalize.

Monagas took the lead with their first significant opportunity. At the 33rd minute, Tomás Rodríguez scored after capitalizing on a defensive error from Defensor. Andrés Romero delivered a perfectly timed through ball, allowing Rodríguez to finish calmly past goalkeeper Kevin Dawson. This goal marked the start of Monagas' momentum and set the tone for the remainder of the match.

After the halftime break, with four substitutions made by Defensor to reinvigorate their attack, they continued to leave defensive gaps. Monagas exploited these vulnerabilities effectively. Just ten minutes after the restart, Romero, who was outstanding throughout the match, scored the second goal for Monagas with a stunning shot from outside the area, placing it neatly out of reach of Dawson. This goal sealed the match and confirmed Monagas' advancement at 4-0 on aggregate.

Despite Defensor Sporting's attempts to rally and even seeing a goal from De los Santos disallowed for offside, Monagas maintained control, managing the remainder of the game well without major incident. The match officially ended 2-0, with Kevin Ortega as the referee, ensuring basic discipline occurred, with both teams receiving yellow cards.

The match statistics reflected Monagas' efficiency—of five total shots, they scored twice, contrasting with Defensor's nine attempts and only one on target. Monagas dashed many hopes for the small crowd of just over 1,000 supporters present to witness their team’s efforts.

Looking forward, Monagas prepares for their next challenge against Cerro Porteño, knowing they are one step closer to realizing their ambitions of reaching the group stage of the tournament.