Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Copa Libertadores : Boca & Sao Paolo Looking a Position in Second Round
Boca Juniors has to beat Bolivia's Bolivar on Thursday in Buenos Aires, while Sao Paulo needs at least a draw against Chile's Audax Italiano on Wednesday in Sao Paulo.
Another six matches are scheduled across Latin American this week, and eight teams still have chances to reach the next stage, including Mexico's Necaxa and two-time champion Gremio of Brazil.
Sao Paulo, last year's runner-up to fellow Brazilian club Internacional, can advance from Group 2 with either a win or a draw against Audax Italiano at Morumbi stadium.
Both teams have 10 points each atop the group, but Sao Paulo has the advantage because of a better goal difference.
Mexico's Necaxa is third with nine points, but it hosts winless Alianza Lima of Peru with a chance to advance with a victory. Alianza Lima lost all five of its matches and has zero points.
If Necaxa wins, Sao Paulo needs at least a draw with Audax Italiano or it will be eliminated. The teams drew 0-0 in Chile on Feb. 2.
Boca Juniors is likely to have more difficulties trying to reach the second round. The traditional Argentine club must defeat Bolivia's Bolivar by three goals or more on Thursday to advance without depending on the result of Peru's Cienciano and Mexico's Toluca in Mexico.
Cienciano and Toluca lead Group 7 with nine points each, followed by Boca Juniors with seven and already eliminated Bolivar with four.
If either Cienciano or Toluca win the match, then Boca Juniors simply needs a victory to advance. If Cienciano and Toluca draw, goal difference becomes an issue and Boca Juniors would need at least three goals against Bolivar to eliminate Toluca.
Only the top two teams in each group will reach the second round.
Three teams share the lead in Group 3 with seven points each - Paraguay's Cerro Porteno, Colombia's Deportes Tolima and Gremio. Cucuta Deportivo, also of Colombia, has six points and also is in contention.
On Tuesday, two-time champion Gremio hosts Cerro Porteno, while Cucuta plays at Tolima. The winner of each match will move on.
In Group 6, Chile's Colo Colo and Venezuela's Caracas already have qualified for the second round, and two-time champion River Plate of Argentina's and Ecuador's Liga de Quito are out of contention.
On Wednesday, Colo Colo plays at River Plate, while Liga de Quito hosts Caracas.
Defending champion Internacional was eliminated last week, finishing behind Argentina's Velez Sarsfield and Uruguay's Nacional in Group 4.
http://soccer-legends.blogspot.com/2007/04/copa-libertadores-boca-sao-paolo.html
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