Penarol reach Libertadores final
Reuters - Friday 03 June 2011, 05:00
BUENOS AIRES - Five-times South American
champions Penarol set up a classic Libertadores Cup final
against Santos on Thursday, the Uruguayans advancing on the away
goals rule despite losing 2-1 to favourites Velez Sarsfield.
Velez, champions in 1994, beat Penarol 2-1 in an exciting
second leg of their semi-final at the Fortin but the visitors
edged the tie after registering a 1-0 victory in Montevideo.
Penarol, who lifted the last of their titles in 1987, will
meet twice champions Santos over two legs in the final after the
Brazilians beat Paraguay's Cerro Porteno 4-3 on aggregate on
Wednesday.
It will be the second final meeting between the sides in 49
years after Pele's Santos beat Penarol in 1962.
Velez will pinpoint three key moments that cost them a
chance of victory, when they first had a goal disallowed for
offside, had central defender Fernando Ortiz sent off in the
69th minute and then saw striker Santiago Silva miss a late
penalty that would have put the Argentine's through.
Penarol shocked Velez by taking the lead in the 34th minute
to move 2-0 ahead on aggregate, just reward for their better
play up to that point.
Alejandro Martinuccio linked in the middle with fellow
striker Juan Manuel Olivera and fed the ball left, where
midfielder Matias Mier shot under goalkeeper Marcelo Barovero.
Velez striker Juan Manuel Martinez had a goal disallowed
near the end of the first half for offside - an incorrect
decision according to video replays - and tempers flared just
before halftime when Silva went down with his marker Carlos
Valdez and the home side claimed a penalty.
However, the Argentine side equalised in first-half injury
time when goalkeeper Sebastian Sosa failed to hold a Maxi
Moralez free-kick and substitute right back Fernando Tobio
bundled the ball in.
PENALTY MISS
Olivera missed a good chance to put the match beyond Velez
in the 67th minute when Argentine Martinuccio set him up with
only Barovero to beat, but he sliced his shot wide.
Within a minute, Silva had fired Velez in front off the post
but the joy was short-lived when Ortiz was dismissed minutes
later for a foul on Martinuccio, having been shown his first
yellow card in the first half for dissent.
Martinez earned 10-man Velez a penalty with quarter of an
hour remaining and a chance to go ahead for the first time in
the tie when he was brought down on the edge of the box.
However, when Uruguayan Silva took the spot-kick, his
supporting foot slipped as he shot and the ball ballooned over
the bar.
The Uruguayans' joy at the final whistle, not least their
brilliant 45-year-old coach Diego Aguirre, who scored the
winning goal for their 1987 title-winning side, contrasted
dramatically with the pain on the faces of the Velez fans.
"I'm very happy going back to a final with Penarol with all
the history we have," Aguirre said.
"It was obvious we didn't came here to defend, we came to
play, as we have done up to now. That's why I think it's right
that we should be living this dream," he told Fox Sports.
"I'm proud to be with this group (of players) who are
returning to the glory (days) we had a long time ago."