Boca held in Venezuela on Libertadores return
Reuters - Wednesday 15 February 2012, 03:14
Six-times champions
Boca Juniors made a lukewarm start to their first Libertadores
Cup in three years with a 0-0 draw away to Venezuelan debutants
Zamora in Group Four on Tuesday.
Boca striker Santiago Silva looked to have broken the
deadlock in the final minute at La Carolina in the city of
Barinas when he rose to a right cross from substitute winger
Cristian Chavez but his header agonisingly came back off the
base of the near post.
Boca, who won four of their six titles between 2000 and
2007, have a tougher assignment next when they face Brazil's
Fluminense at their Bombonera ground in Buenos Aires on March 7.
Uruguay's Defensor Sporting bounced back from last week's
3-0 defeat by Velez Sarsfield of Argentina with a 2-0 win over
Ecuador's Deportivo Quito in their second home match in Group
Seven.
Defensor were facing weaker opposition than 1994 champions
Velez at their small Luis Franzini stadium in Montevideo but
they made a key change bringing on the burly Maximiliano
Callorda for Ignacio Risso up front.
Callorda, who troubled the Quito central defence all night,
was involved in both goals, the first when he was brought down
for a 22nd-minute penalty converted by midfielder Brahian
Aleman.
The striker made sure of the points when he muscled his way
into the box to score left-footed from the right 11 minutes from
time.
Holders Santos make their bow away to Bolivia's The
Strongest at high altitude at the Hernando Siles stadium in La
Paz in Group One on Wednesday as they begin their quest to win
South America's elite club competition for the fourth time.
Fellow Brazilian sides Flamengo and Corinthians also open
their group campaigns with away matches.
Ronaldinho's Flamengo are in Buenos Aires for Wednesday's
Group Two clash with Lanus, while Corinthians visit Deportivo
Tachira in Group Six.