Copa Libertadores

Brazil's Santos hoping to remain perfect in Copa Libertadores

SAO PAULO, Brazil: Brazil's Santos opens the second round of the Copa Libertadores against Venezuela's Caracas on Wednesday looking to remain perfect in the Latin American championship.

The two-time Copa Libertadores champion won all of its six first-stage matches, advancing with the best record among all 32 teams. Santos also won its two matches in the preliminary phase.

But the Brazilian club is coming off a stunning 2-0 loss to Sao Caetano in the first leg of the Sao Paulo state championship finals, and coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo and his players have come under pressure from disappointing fans.

"We need to forget this match and return our focus to the Copa Libertadores," Luxemburgo said. "I feel our players are still thinking about the loss to Sao Caetano, not about the match against Caracas."

Santos will have to score at least two goals in next Sunday's second leg to secure its 17th state title.

The Brazilians are seeking their first Copa Libertadores title since back-to-back championships in 1962 and 1963 led by Pele. With Robinho and Diego, the club was runner-up to Carlos Tevez's Boca Juniors in 2003.

Boca Juniors, a five-time champion, will play its second-round match against Argentine rival and former winner Velez Sarsfield on Wednesday.

Boca Juniors enters the matchup boosted by a 7-0 rout of Bolivia's Bolivar in its last group match.

In another matchup between former champions on Wednesday, three-time winner Sao Paulo and two-time champ Gremio face off in an all-Brazilian series.

Also, Mexico's America will host Chile's Colo Colo, while Brazil's Flamengo plays at Uruguay's Defensor Sporting.

On Thursday, Brazil's Parana takes on Paraguay's Libertad, and three-time champion Nacional of Uruguay hosts Mexico's Necaxa.

The other Mexican team in the second round, Toluca, will play at Colombia's Cucuta Deportivo, also on Thursday.

Defending Copa Libertadores and club world champion Internacional of Brazil was eliminated in the group stage, finishing behind Velez Sarsfield and Nacional in Group 4. Two-time Copa Libertadores winner River Plate also failed to qualify, ending last in Group 6 behind Colo Colo, Caracas and Ecuador's Liga de Quito.

All teams from Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru have been eliminated from the competition.

Only the top two teams in each group reached the round of 16.

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