Barcelona vs Cruzeiro

Cruzeiro earned a statement away victory at the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha in Guayaquil, beating Barcelona SC 1-0 in their Group D opener of the CONMEBOL Libertadores. The solitary goal — a precisely placed header early in the second half — proved the difference in a tight, hard-fought contest. Matheus Pereira was the hero, climbing to meet a Fagner cross and directing a header into the net on the 52nd minute. Barcelona SC pushed back immediately — Luis Cano went agonizingly wide three minutes later — and Darío Benedetto had already gone close with a header on the stroke of halftime. The hosts battled through five minutes of added time but lacked the cutting edge to level. For Cruzeiro, the three points are a confidence-boosting start after a turbulent domestic spell. Barcelona SC, who impressed in qualifying by eliminating Argentinos Juniors and defending champion Botafogo, now sit without a point and must regroup before a daunting trip to face Boca Juniors.