Santiago Silva and Juan Manuel Martinez scored either side of
halftime to give Velez Sarsfield of Argentina a 2-0 win over
Brazilian side Cruzeiro in Group 7 of the Copa Libertadores on
Wednesday.
In the day's other group matches, Roberto Battion scored the
winning goal in Banfield's 2-1 home win over Morelia, a double from
Washington gave Sao Paulo a 2-0 victory over visiting Monterrey,
and Jose Fernandez got two goals as Alianza Lima of Peru won 3-1 at
Bolivar.
Cruzeiro midfielder Gilberto was sent off after just two
minutes for a high challenge on Velez Sarsfield defender Sebastian
Dominguez.
Silva then opened the scoring for Velez with a header off
Nicolas Cabrera's cross in the 6th minute.
Cruzeiro's difficulties were magnified when defender Gil
received a second yellow card nine minutes before halftime to leave
the Brazilian club with nine men.
Velez took advantage of the extra players after the break as
Maximiliano Moralez set up a goal for Martinez.
In Group 6, James Rodriguez headed Argentine league champion
Banfield into the lead against Mexican club Morelia in the 56th
minute, four minutes after Morelia defender Adrian Alderete was
sent off.
Battion headed Banfield's second goal from a corner in the
79th minute, before Luis Gabriel Rey scored for Morelia with a
header from a free kick in stoppage time.
In Group 2, Washington applied the finish to two close range
chances in the 13th and 76th minutes as Brazil's Sao Paulo beat
Mexican league champion Monterrey.
In Group 3, Jose Fernandez scored in the 73rd and 75th
minutes to give Alianza Lima of Peru a two-goal lead over Bolivian
club Bolivar.
Alex Da Rosa cut the lead from the penalty spot for Bolivar
in the 90th, but Johnnier Montano secured the win for Alianza in
stoppage time.
In the qualifier, Joao Rojas scored the first goal for Emelec
in the 47th minute, before Hugo Barrientos equalized in the 53rd.
Quinonez scored the winning goal in the 67th to give Emelec a
2-1 aggregate victory following the first leg's scoreless draw in
Argentina.
The Copa Libertadores is the most prestigious club tournament
in Latin America. The group stage continues Thursday, with Cerro
Porteno vs. Medellin, Estudiantes La Plata vs. Juan Aurich,
Blooming vs. Universitario and Nacional de Montevideo vs. Cuenca.
