Bahia beat Unión Santa Fe 1-0 at Fonte Nova Arena on Tuesday night in the Copa Sudamericana.
Tricolor Bahiaço under performed in the game but were able to grind out the victory with the only goal scored by striker Gilberto from the penalty spot in the second half.
The first half between Bahia and Unión Santa Fe started slowly, with the home side taking advantage with greater possession of the ball.
However, they were not clinical upfront.
The best chance for Bahia in the first half came from defender Anderson Martins, from a long-range shot, forcing a save from Moyano before the break.
In the second half, the game was well balanced with chances going from end to end. The game remained that way until the visiting team’s goalkeeper Moyano conceded a penalty by fouling Rossi in the goal area.
The referee awarded the penalty kick in the 78th minute which was converted by Gilberto to give his side the lead.
After the goal, Bahia tried controlling the pace of the game but almost conceded an equalizer towards the end of the game. They have Douglas who made a man of the match performance save to thank for keeping the lead intact.
With the victory, Bahia only need a draw in Argentina to advance to the next round for the quarterfinals of the South American Cup.
Bahia and Unión Santa Fe will meet next Tuesday for the second leg. The match will take place in Argentina at the 15 de Abril stadium.
