Sports

Monday April 13, 2009

Palmeiras hosts Sport in must-win match

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) - Palmeiras hosts Sport Recife in an all-Brazilian Group 1 match it needs to win Wednesday to boost its chances of advancing in the Copa Libertadores.

Palmeiras had a 2-0 away win over the Brazilian Cup winners last week to end a run of two defeats and get back into contention.

Colo Colo scored a late equalizer away at defending champion Liga de Quito last week to lead Group 1 with seven points, one clear of Sport, three clear of Quito and four ahead of Palmeiras.

Double headers in groups 4, 6 and 7 should also help clarify the race for qualification.

On Tuesday, Everton of Chile travels to the Venezuelan capital to play Caracas, while Mexican club Guadalajara hosts Lanus of Argentina.

Chivas of Guadalajara currently holds the advantage with seven points from four matches, ahead of Everton on goal difference.

Caracas is a point behind on six while Lanus, despite a strong showing in the Argentine league, has struggled so far in the Libertadores and is last in the group with two points.

Gremio of Brazil will secure qualification from Group 7 with an away win against Universidad de Chile on Wednesday, but would progress anyway if Boyaca Chico of Colombia loses at home to Aurora of Bolivia the following day.

After four matches, Gremio has 10 points, Universidad has seven, Chico has six and Aurora hasn't picked up a point.

The race to qualify alongside Sao Paulo in Group 4 will involve two crucial matches this week.

Colombia's Independiente Medellin, on four points, hosts the Brazilian club on Wednesday, while Uruguay's Defensor Sporting, also on four points, travels to Colombia to take on America de Cali, last on two points, on Thursday.

Sao Paulo joined Paraguay's Libertad in the knockout round after last week's fixtures, leaving 14 more spots to be filled in the next round.

Boca Juniors moved within one point of qualification after claiming a fourth straight victory with a 3-1 home win over Guarani of Paraguay last Thursday.

The six-time former champion will have a keen interest in the result of Thursday's match between Deportivo Tachira and Guarani - anything but a win for the Venezuelan hosts would confirm Boca's progression.

After the Guarani victory, Boca's talismanic forward Juan Roman Riquelme said early qualification would be a bonus, particularly with Boca struggling in the Argentine league.

"We are closer to achieving qualification," he told ESPN.

"The cup is something else. The cup is special and you always have the dream of qualifying early."

Boca leads Group 2 with 12 points, with Tachira and Ecuador's Deportivo Cuenca following with six points each.

In Group 5, Brazil's Cruzeiro will qualify if Ecuador's Deportivo Quito fails to beat bottom club Universitario de Sucre of Bolivia on Tuesday.

A loss for the Ecuadorean side would also mean Estudiantes of Argentina would progress alongside the Brazilian club.

Estudiantes thrashed Cruzeiro 4-0 at home last Wednesday, but captain Juan Sebastian Veron was taking nothing for granted.

"We approached the game as though it were a final. The team was concentrated and gave everything on the pitch. We took an important step, but we are not qualified yet, we have to keep the same level," he said.

Cruzeiro has 10 points and Estudiantes has nine at the top of the group. Quito follows on five points, with Universitario already out of contention with just one point. - AP


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