Esporte Clube Agua Santa made fools of Sao Paulo, the multiple Copa Libertadores and world champions, when they eliminated the powerful rivals 6-5 on penalties on Monday night. Ecuadorian Jhegson Méndez and Allison failed in the shootout. The failure of the Sao Paulo favorite happened in the quarter-finals of the Paulista Championship. “Independiente, the main group of organized fans, took to their social networks and strongly criticized the Sao Paulo professionals,” he says. Sports newspapers.

“Today (Monday), March 13, 2023, the management committee, coaching staff and players once again disgraced the institution of São Paulo FC. Let everyone come home, in front of their wives, children, parents, relatives, girlfriends and feel like a failure. Because most of them think so. Don’t confuse the crowd that leads and doesn’t stop supporting, according to this sad state of affairs,” announced the organized venue.

Sports newspapers reported that “Jhegson Méndez spoke out on Tuesday via social media about the penalty miss that sealed Agua Santo’s berth in the semifinals of the Paulista Championship.”

The Carchense midfielder, who will turn 26 in April, wrote on Instagram: “First I want to apologize to my teammates and then to you (fans). Unfortunately, this time it was my turn to fail and that will definitely help me keep my head up and keep working. I hope to be able to reciprocate with happiness for all of you soon.

Information from the São Paulo newspaper said that “the Ecuadorian midfielder missed Sao Paulo’s seventh shot, and the fans criticized him for the way he took the penalty, making it easy for the Agua Santa goalkeeper.”

A World Cup player with Ecuador in Qatar 2022, Méndez, arrived from MLS, started the last games of his new team on the bench.

It is added to Sports newspapers that “Méndez came on in the second half of the game instead of Luan, who was obviously in contention for the starting position in Sao Paulo’s midfield. The Ecuadorian added little during the time he was on the field, and he did not manage to make a difference even in stoppage time. (D)

The note ends with a look at the implications of the failure: “With the early elimination in the championship of São Paulo, Sao Paulo will have more than 20 days without official matches. The team will return to the field only at the beginning of April, in the group stage of the Copa Sudamericana. The debut in the Brazilian championship, against Botafogo, away, should take place on the weekend of April 15 and 16″. (D)