Holders Estudiantes top Libertadores group
Reuters - Wednesday 31 March 2010, 04:29
BUENOS AIRES - South American champions
Estudiantes beat Peru's Juan Aurich 2-0 away to return to the
top of Group Three in the Libertadores Cup on Tuesday.
Man-of-the-match Jose Sosa brilliantly beat three men at
close quarters in the box and squared the ball for striker
Gaston Fernandez to open the scoring in the 51st minute.
Midfielder Rodrigo Brana then superbly beat goalkeeper
Diego Morales with a lob from the centre circle in the 67th
minute to make the result safe.
Juan Aurich had central defender Jesus Alvarez sent off in
the 85th minute and striker Luis Tejada dismissed in injury
time.
Estudiantes took the first half to get used to the
synthetic Elias Aguirre pitch in Chiclayo and control the home
side's speedy forwards before imposing their well organised
game.
The Argentine side have taken 10 points from five matches.
They are two ahead of Peru's Alianza, who can reclaim the lead
if they beat eliminated Bolivar of Bolivia at home next week.
Juan Aurich have six points and Bolivar one.
In Group Four, 10-man Lanus of Argentina snatched a 1-1
draw away to Paraguay's Libertad in a poor match at the
Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion.
Libertad left back Adalberto Roman surprised Lanus when he
stole in behind the defence on the right to head home a free-kick to the far post.
The Argentine side's Paraguayan striker Santiago Salcedo
was sent off in the 40th minute for a second booking.
With seven minutes remaining, Lanus left-back Maximiliano
Velazquez stunned Libertad goalkeeper Bernardo Medina when he
lobbed him with a shot from a narrow angle when the home
defence were expecting a cross.
The group is led by Libertad with nine points from five
matches. Peru's Universitario are second with eight points and
a match in hand. Lanus have seven points while Bolivia's
Blooming have none.
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