Universidad Catolica 0-2 Velez Sarsfield
Velez Sarsfield took one giant step towards the Copa Sudamericana Quarter-Finals with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Universidad Catolica of Chile in Santiago on Wednesday night.
The reigning Argentinian champs took the lead through former West Ham and Villarreal striker Guillermo Franco just fifteen minutes in, the veteran controlling Hector Canteros’ low cross before turning to aim his finish neatly past Fabian Cerda in the Catolica goal.
Ivan Bella doubled the visitors’ lead five minutes break, getting across his marker to turn Augusto Fernández’ cross beyond Cerda.
“It is not easy to get a 2-0 win on the road,” said Velez coach Ricardo Gareca. “I must congratulate the guys for a great display. It gives us a good chance [of progressing].”
Aurora 3-1 Vasco da Gama
Elsewhere on Wednesday night, Bolivian club Aurora saw off a second-string Vasco da Gama side 3-1 in Cochabamba, with the Brazilians admitting they struggled to acclimatise to the altitude.
The visitors took the lead five minutes before half-time when Aurora goalkeeper Pablo Javier Lanz misjudged Fagner’s long pass, allowing the ball bounce over his head. A last ditch effort to save himself the embarrassment only resulted in gifting Bernado an open goal from less than yard.
All Vasco’s early running was undone, however, in seven second half minutes. Aquilino Villalba volleyed an equaliser after Vasco failed to deal with a corner five minutes into the second half and they took the lead shortly after when former Bolivian international Augusto Andaveris broke into the area and fired his short across Fernando into the far corner.
Auroroa completed the scoring with fifteen minutes remaining when Jair Reynoso capitalised on a defensive howler from Nillton to volley a third.
“We knew they would play long diagonal balls into our area and they ended up grabbing just two goals from those situations,” said Fernando. “They are very strong at home. It is an advantage for them to play here. In my opinion, the team did not feel quite up to the altitude… But we will fight to reverse the result at home.”
