Copa Libertadores Roundup
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03-06-2008, 08:40 PM
#1 (permalink)
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SANTOS, Brazil (AP) - Santos defeated Mexico's Chivas 1-0 and kept alive its 22-match unbeaten streak against foreign teams at home in the Copa Libertadores on Tuesday.
Santos has won its last 11 matches, and the last defeat was against Colombia's Deportivo Juniors in 1984.
Tuesday was good for home teams, as Brazil's Cruzeiro defeated Venezuela's Caracas 3-0, and Ecuador's 10-man Liga de Quito beat Paraguay's Libertad 2-0.
Colombian striker Mauricio Molina netted the winner at Vila Belmiro in the 22nd minute with a booming shot from outside the area, hitting the right-upper corner of Chivas goalkeeper Luis Michel.
The result moved Santos to the top of Group 6 with four points, one more than Chivas and two more than Colombia's Cucuta Deportivo. Bolivia's San Jose trails with one point. All four clubs have played two matches.
Cruzeiro brought Caracas to earth after the Venezuelan club started its Copa debut with two victories.
Striker Guilherme scored in the ninth minute before 40,000 fans at Mineirao Stadium with a shot from inside the area after a well-timed through ball from midfielder Wagner, and Ramires posted his Copa-leading fifth goal in the 28th following a pass from Bolivian striker Marcelo Moreno.
Moreno scored in the 64th, speeding past a defender and dribbling by Caracas goalkeeper Vicente Rosales before firing in a left-footed shot, helping to extend Cruzeiro's unbeaten streak to 10 matches this season.
Cruzeiro leads Group 1 with seven points, one more than Caracas. Argentina's San Lorenzo has one point and Bolivia's Real Potosi zero.
Liga de Quito overcame playing a man short for 49 minutes after Erique Vera received his second yellow card at Casa Blanca Stadium.
Patricio Urrutia and Joffre Guerron scored late in the second half, handing Liga the provisional Group 8 lead with 13 points, pending Wednesday's match between two undefeated teams - Argentina's Arsenal and Brazil's Fluminense.
Libertad coach Ruben Israel decided to train his team in Ecuador's port city of Guayaquil, arriving in Quito - 2,800 meters (9,000 feet) above sea level - only hours before the game. However, Libertad still appeared fatigued by the altitude.
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