Colo Colo Held to Goalless Draw by Alianza Lima in Copa Libertadores

Colo Colo's progress in the Copa Libertadores was halted on Tuesday night as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Alianza Lima in their Group A match at the Estadio Monumental. Despite dominating possession and creating several clear scoring chances, especially in the first half, Colo Colo were unable to find a way past Alianza Lima goalkeeper Angelo Campos and the woodwork.

Colo Colo had a promising start to the match, with Carlos Palacios and Guillermo Paiva coming close to opening the scoring in the early stages. Paiva was denied by Campos after a good team move involving Leonardo Gil. The hosts set a record for the most passes (677) by a Chilean team in a Copa Libertadores match since Opta started recording these statistics in 2013, but their possession did not translate into goals.

The intensity of the match decreased in the second half, with Alianza Lima posing some threat on the counterattack. Colo Colo struggled to create clear-cut chances after the break, with Marcos Bolados missing a clear opportunity. Alan Saldivia had a late chance for Colo Colo, but his shot went just wide.

Why this matters: The draw complicates Colo Colo's progress in the Copa Libertadores, as they remain in need of points from their upcoming away matches against Cerro Porteño and Fluminense to keep their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages alive. The result also highlighted Colo Colo's recent struggles in attack, with only Arturo Vidal scoring in their last three matches.

Colo Colo midfielder Arturo Vidal expressed his frustration with the result, stating that Alianza Lima "never were a rival for us" and that they "parked the bus" and waited for Colo Colo to make a mistake. Vidal, who received his third yellow card in the Libertadores and will be suspended for the next match against Fluminense, vowed that Colo Colo will be more proactive in the next match in Peru, as they will go in search of the three points.

The draw leaves Colo Colo in second place in Group A with 4 points, while Alianza Lima sits at the bottom with 2 points. Defending champions Fluminense remain undefeated and are poised to lead the group after the six rounds. Colo Colo's next match in the Copa Libertadores will be on May 9th, when they host Fluminense at the Estadio Monumental.

Key Takeaways

• Colo Colo held to 0-0 draw by Alianza Lima in Copa Libertadores Group A match.
• Colo Colo dominated possession but failed to score, setting a passing record.
• Draw complicates Colo Colo's progress, need points from upcoming away matches.
• Arturo Vidal frustrated, says Alianza Lima "parked the bus", vows more proactive play.
• Colo Colo in 2nd place with 4 points, Fluminense leads undefeated in Group A.