Friday 8 April 2011

Copa Libertadores matchday 5

The group stage is drawing to a close in the Copa Libertadores. Some clubs have booked their passage through to the knockout stages while there's still plenty left to play for with one set of fixtures remaining.

Group 2

Grêmio 2-0 Junior

Grêmio ended the 100% record of Junior and also knocked out Léon de Huánuco from the competition after a 2-0 victory in Porto Alegre. Lúcio put Grêmio ahead just after the half hour and Borges doubled the lead on the hour for the Tricolor. Jaider Romero didn't help the Junior cause after his second half dismissal. The result means both teams will be in the Round of 16 but with Junior still top of the table they are the more likely to progress from pole position.

Group 3

Nacional 2-0 Fluminense
América 2-1 Argentinos Juniors

Group 3 is tight, very tight after Matchday 5 and all four teams still have a chance of qualifying for the Round of 16. Fluminense are now rank outsiders to get into the next stage and heavily dependent on their own and other results in the final matchday after defeat to Nacional in Montevideo. A second half Santiago García double enough for the home side to secure victory which still leaves them outside the top two in the group at the moment but with the travel sick América in Montevideo on Matchday 6. América kept their 100% record in the competition after a 2-1 victory over Argentinos Juniors in the Estadio Azteca. They did it the hard way though after falling behind to a Franco Niell goal four minutes into the second half. Vicente Vuoso levelled with seventeen minutes to go and Dániel Marquez got the winner eight minutes from time. The result leaves América top of the group going into Matchday 6 but a defeat in Montevideo and victory for Argentinos Juniors will eliminate the Mexicans and Brazilian champions.

Group 4

Unión Española 1-2 Caracas FC
Universidad Católica 0-0 Vélez Sarsfield

Caracas will go into Matchday 6 top of Group 4 after a come from behind victory in Santiago against Unión Española on Tuesday night. In a game they needed to win, Sebastian Jaime put Unión Española ahead with just three minutes on the clock but Louis Peña levelled for Caracas ten minutes before the break. Caracas stuck a tentative toe into the last 16 when Josef Martínez got the winner seven minutes from time to eliminate Unión Española from the competition. Again in Santiago on Thursday night, there was a goalless deadlock between Universidad Católica and Vélez Sarsfield meaning it will go down to Matchday 6 where the two Chilean clubs clash and Vélez go to Caracas.

Group 5

Deportivo Táchira 0-2 Cerro Porteño
Santos 3-2 Colo Colo

Only Matchday 4 in Group 5 as Cerro Porteño went top of the group after victory in Venezuela at Deportivo Táchira. Roberto Nanni put Cerro Porteño ahead with twenty minutes gone and Ivan Torres wrapped things up with the second twenty minutes after the break. The big news of the week came in the live Premier Spots TV game from the Vila Belmiro where there were 5 goals and 5, yes 5, red cards as Santos picked up their first victory of competition against Colo Colo of Chile. Santos were on their way thanks to Elano's 34th minute free kick and Danilo doubled the lead two minutes later. When Neymar made it three seven minutes after the break with a fantastic goal and Santos were coasting but after the young stars celebration, when he wore a mask of his own face upside down, he was shown a second yellow card and dismissed. Three minutes later Zé Eduardo of Santos and Andre Scotti of Colo Colo both saw red after some good old fashioned fisticuffs before Patrico Jerez pulled a goal back for the visitors with eight minutes left. Diego Rubio then got a second for Colo Colo with three minutes left but Elano, by this time on the bench after being subbed, was shown a red card for arguing the decision to award the goal. The fifth red card followed when Cristobal Jorquera of Colo Colo was shown a straight red for a poor challenge but the result has probably saved the campaign of Santos in the competition.

Group 6

Jaguares 1-0 Internacional
Jorge Wilstermann 0-0 Emelec

Holders Internacional fell to their first defeat of the competition when they went down to a single goal defeat in Mexico to Jaguares. Antonio Salazar with the only goal ten minutes after the break. Despite the defeat Internacional remain top of the group going into Matchday 6. The other game in Bolivia finished goal less as already eliminated Jorge Wilstermann picked up their first point of the season against Emelec. The result is a disappointing one for the Ecuadorian side who could have been level with points on Internacional going into Matchday 6 especially with a trip to Porto Alegre and the holders in wait. Jaguares will be hoping they can pick up the victory they require at Jorge Wilstermann.

Group 8

Independiente 1-1 LDU Quito

It was a draw that Independiente didn't need as they were eliminated from the competition after the result against LDU Quito. Leonel Núñez put the home side ahead from the spot with twenty four minutes gone but Hernan Barcos levelled matters for LDU thirteen minutes after the break. Independiente cross the River Plate to face group leaders Peñarol on Matchday 6 while there will be a straight shoot out in Quito where the home side only need a draw while Godoy Cruz need to win to progress to the round of 16

Next week sees Matchday 6 in all groups except Group 5 where the final matches in the groups will take place simultaneously.

Peñaraol v Independiente
LDU Quito v Godoy Cruz
Colo Colo v Deportivo Táchira
Estudiantes v Cruzeiro LIVE on Premier Sports, Thursday 14 April, 00:50BST
Guaraní v Deportes Tolima
Caracas v Vélez Sarsfield
Cerro Porteño v Santos
Universidad Cátolica v Unión Española
Oriente Petrolero v Grêmio
Junior v León de Huánuco

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1 comment:

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