"Important victory, but nothing more than that," warns Abel after Palmeiras beat River

Coach Abel Ferreira praised Palmeiras ' performance, but struck a cautious note. The assessment came after the 2-1 victory over River Plate in Argentina. The match, on Wednesday night (17), was for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals. The coach, however, made a point of tempering the euphoria. He noted that the match is still very much open.

The Portuguese manager, in fact, urged the team to keep their feet on the ground. He knows that a spot in the semifinals isn't yet guaranteed.

"Of course it's an important victory, but that's all it is. We have the second leg at home, with 90 minutes remaining," declared Abel Ferreira, already looking ahead to the return leg at Allianz Parque.

In his analysis of the game, the coach clearly divided the two halves. He highly praised the team's performance, especially in the first half:

"I think we did a very, very good part. (…) We managed to get a 2-0 lead. In the second half we had to suffer a bit and mark lower."

Abel also explained his decision to field Lucas Evangelista and Andreas Pereira together. He believes the mentality of both players was crucial to the team.

"I thought they should both play together and the important thing is that they are both ready to help the team (…) It was important to have them while they had energy", highlighted the Verdão commander.

The coach even had high praise for his rival and his coach, Marcelo Gallardo. He highlighted the stadium atmosphere and the strength of the Argentine fans:

"I have great admiration for this coach, who, if not the best, is one of the best in South America."

The victory ultimately gives Palmeiras a solid advantage heading into the second leg. They can even draw at home to secure a spot in the semifinals. Before that, however, they have a Brasileirão match to play. Verdão faces Fortaleza next Saturday (20) at Allianz Parque.

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