Colombian midfielder Richard Ríos made amends with the Palmeiras fans on Wednesday by scoring the winning goal against Cerro Porteño in the Copa Libertadores—a strike that puts the Brazilian side alone at the top of Group G. The goal came in the 41st minute, and after finding the net, Ríos celebrated by telling the home crowd to quiet down, a bold move that didn’t sit well with everyone at the Allianz Parque.

Palmeiras struggled to find any rhythm in the first half. Diego Martínez’s Paraguayan side came in with a rock-solid defensive plan: tight marking, compact lines, and almost no space to play. On top of that, Raphael Veiga, the creative engine of the team, dislocated his shoulder early on and had to be replaced by Felipe Anderson, who’s still far from showing the form he once had at Lazio.

Ríos Breaks Through the Paraguayan Wall

With the game dragging and chances limited, Facundo Torres whipped in a cross to the far post, Felipe Anderson knocked it back, and Ríos blasted it into the net to break the deadlock. Instead of celebrating wildly, the Colombian silenced the crowd, which definitely sparked some tension in the stands. Still, the goal gave Palmeiras a much-needed lift and they started to look more confident from that point on.

Youngster Estêvão, who’s already signed with Chelsea, had a quiet first half but started causing trouble down the flank after the break. Vitor Roque, still chasing his first goal in seven games for Palmeiras, came close but saw his finish ruled out for a razor-thin offside—confirmed by VAR.

Palmeiras Tightens Their Grip on the Group

As the minutes ticked by, Cerro Porteño started to fade and left more gaps at the back, giving Palmeiras room to push forward. Sub ‘Flaco’ López, who came on for Vitor Roque, nearly put the game to bed. In the end, they couldn’t add to the scoreline, but Abel Ferreira’s men took home three massive points and now sit comfortably atop the group with momentum on their side heading into the next round.