Boselli brace sends Estudiantes into final
Reuters - Thursday 02 July 2009, 03:11
MONTEVIDEO - Striker Mauro Boselli scored twice to give Estudiantes a 2-1 win over Nacional of Uruguay on Wednesday and send them into their fifth Libertadores Cup final.
The Argentine side, title winners three years in a row from 1968 to 1970, went through 3-1 on aggregate and will meet the winners of Thursday's all-Brazilian semi-final between Gremio and Cruzeiro, who are 3-1 up.
Estudiantes, without injured captain Juan Sebastian Veron, deserved their success with the better performance in the semi-final second leg in front of a partisan Centenario crowd after the clubs decided against allowing visiting fans.
Nacional, also three times South American champions, were too cautious for a team facing a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in La Plata last week and only after equalising 14 minutes from time did they put real urgency into their game.
Boselli gave Estudiantes the lead in the 53rd minute when midfielder Gaston Fernandez won the ball from defender Sebastian Coates and sent the striker through to beat goalkeeper Rodrigo Munoz.
Alexander Medina equalised in the 76th when he brought down Nicolas Lodeiro's free kick and volleyed past goalkeeper Mariano Andujar from close range.
It was the first goal Argentina keeper Andujar had conceded in nine matches in the tournament, dating back to March during the group stage.
With Nacional going all out in attack looking to score twice more to counter Estudiantes' 1-0 first-leg win and away goal, they were exposed at the back and Boselli finished off with the winner in stoppage time.