Still Perfect
Saja Saves Penalty in 89th Minute to Preserve Win

Grêmio proved its 6-0 start to the season was no fluke after winning its Libertadores Cup opener 1-0 over Cerro Porteño, in Asunción. Saja posted his fifth consecutive shutout, a personal best, after defending an 89th-minute penalty kick that preserved the Tricolor’s perfect record. Grêmio (3 pts) leads Group 3 after Colombians Cúcuta and Deportes Tolima played to a 0-0 draw on Tuesday. The Tricolor’s next Libertadores Cup test will be on February 27th when they host Cúcuta, at Olímpico.

Knowing this was not the Gaúcho State Championship, Mano Menezes opted for a more conservative approach: playing tight defense and looking to capitalize on counter-attacks. The tactic worked as Grêmio controlled the game early and contained Cerro’s advances. In the 13th, Lucas almost found Tuta inside the area, but Rodrigo Costa cut off the pass for a corner kick. Two minutes later, the Tricolor missed on the best opportunity of the first half when Navarro defended William’s header of a Diego Souza’s cross.

But then things took a turn for the worse. In the 21st, Tuta had to leave the game after twisting his knee in a collision with the Cerro defense a few minutes earlier. Douglas, his replacement, proved ineffective. The loss of its center-forward was sorely felt as Grêmio never seriously threatened to score for the remainder of the half.

Mano Menezes reorganized the team for the second half, giving Lucas more freedom to help out on the attack. The move paid dividends. In the 7th, Lucas got a rebounded ball at the top-right edge of the area and snuck a shot past Navarro and into the lower-right corner: Grêmio, 1-0. Following the goal, Grêmio took complete control of the game and could have iced it on several occasions. In the 12th, Tcheco missed a wide-open shot. In the 15th, it was Diego Souza who failed to capitalize.

This lack of finishing almost cost the Tricolor at the end of the game. In the 44th, Salcedo crossed into the area and the ball hit Teco’s arm. The referee immediately called for a penalty kick. It appeared that Grêmio’s winning and shutout streaks were about to come to an end. “El Tigre” Ramirez hit his kick well, sending a forceful shot towards the right corner. But Saja went right also and managed to deflect the ball away for a corner. Victory preserved, shutout preserved. Grêmio perfect in 2007.

Grêmio will now return its attention to the Gaúcho State Championship. The Tricolor face Brasil-Pe and São José-CS before returning to Libertadores Cup play against Cúcuta.

Cerro Porteño (0)	Grêmio (1)
	Lucas (52')
Alvarez (15') Morínigo (28') Cristaldo (92+')	Diego Souza (77')
Venue:  Pablo Rojas Stadium, Asunción (PAR)
Cerro Porteño: Navarro; Alvarez, Rodrigo Costa, Pérez, Núñez, (Cristaldo, 82') and Brites (Gimenes, 78'); González, Salcedo and Morínigo (Godoy, 56'); César Ramírez and Da Silva. Coach: Gustavo Costas	Grêmio: Saja; Patrício, Schiavi, William and Teco; Edmilson, Lucas (Sandro Goiano, 91+'), Diego Souza, Tcheco and Carlos Eduardo (Ramón, 68'); Tuta (Douglas, 21'). Coach: Mano Menezes