Brazilian clubs Santos and Gremio and Colombian champion Cucuta are first three teams through to the semifinals of the Libertadores Cup. Santos came from behind on Wednesday against Mexico’s America to win the second leg of their quarterfinal series, 2-1, and win by the same score on aggregate. Goals by Tcheco and Teco gave Gremio a 2-0 win over Uruguay’s Defensor Sporting to even their series, 2-2, and the Brazilian club went through on penalties, 4-2. Cucuta, playing in the tournament for the first time in its 47-year history, twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 tie at Uruguayan club Nacional on Tuesday and win, 4-2, on aggregate.
Tag: brazil
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Romario finally gets his 1,000th goal
Former Brazil striker Romario finally scored what he said was the 1,000th goal of his career by converting a penalty in Vasco da Gama’s 3-1 over Sport Recife in the Campeonato Brasileiro on Sunday. Celebrations and interviews held up the match for 16 minutes after the 41-year-old Brazilian great sent Sport goalkeeper Magrao he wrong way, Romario’s tally includes goals scored in youth team, friendly and testimonial games, but doubts about his milestone failed to dampen the celebrations.
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Brazil calls up Ronaldinho and Kaka for England and Turkey friendlies
Brazil stars Ronaldinho and Kaka have been called up for friendlies against England and Turkey in June even though they requested to skip the Copa America. Coach Dunga said he wanted Ronaldinho and Kaka at the Copa America in Venezuela this summer but respected their decision to ask for a rest.
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Boca pays for blunders at home in Libertadores Cup stunner
[COPA LIBERTADORES RESULTS] Martin Palermo scored in the 90th minute to salvage a 1-1 tie for Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors against Paraguayan champion Libertad in the first leg of their Libertadores Cup quarterfinal series on Thursday in Buenos Aires. Boca star Roman Riquelme and keeper Mauricio Caranta were the goats for Boca. Riquelme missed a penalty kick for Boca, which fell behind when Caranta tried to tip Osvaldo Martinez‘s free kick out of play but missed the ball, which flew into the Boca goal.
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Brazil superstars Ronaldinho and Kaka ask to skip Copa America
First, Kaka asked to skip the Copa America. Now three days later Ronaldinho has asked not to be included in Brazil’s squad for its title defense of the Copa America June 26-July 15 in Venezuela. Their requests, if granted, will put a damper to Coach Dunga‘s plans to field a full-strength squad for the South American championship.
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Ze Roberto comes to Santos’ rescue in Libertadores Cup
Former Brazil national team midfielder Ze Roberto scored twice to lead Santos from 2-0 down to beat Caracas FC, 3-2, on Thursday and reach the Libertadores Cup quarterfinals, 5-4, on aggregate. Gremio beat Sao Paulo, 2-0, on goals by Tcheco and Diego Souza on Wednesday to win the all-Brazilian series, 2-1, on aggregate, while the Parana and Flamengo, other two Brazilian teams to reach the knockout phase, both are out.
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Mexico’s Toluca crushed in Libertadores Cup
Argentine youngster Juan Manuel Martinez scored a hat trick in 13 minutes late in the first half to lead of Colombian champion Cucuta past Mexico’s Toluca, 5-1, in the first leg of their Libertadores Cup second-round series. In the other Thursday matches, Paraguayan champion Libertad came from behind to win at Brazil’s Parana, 2-1, while Nacional of Uruguay beat Mexico’s Necaxa, 3-2, in Montevideo.
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Goalkeeper follies in Scotland & Brazil
[VIDEO]. Aberdeen’s Darren Mackie scored without immediately realizing it in last Saturday’s Scottish Premier League 3-0 win over Kilmarnock because, while he was walking back down field, Kilmarnock keeper Alan Combe hurled the ball into the back of Mackie’s head, from which it rebounded 8 yards into the back of the net. Matching Combe’s in the super blunder was Cruzeiro goalie Fabio. After giving up the third goal in a 4-0 loss against in the Brazilian derby against Atletico Mineiro, Fabio was walking back to his goal area to fetch the ball. But his teammates had kicked off with a different ball. Fabio didn’t notice an Atletico player had intercepted the new ball until he saw the shot blaze past him and into the goal [VIDEO]. An angry Fabio then picked both balls out of the net.
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Libertadores Cup Preview
[TV PREVIEW] Four months after quitting as Boca Juniors coach, Ricardo La Volpe returns to La Bombonera Wednesday night as coach of Velez Sarsfield for the first leg of their Libertadores Cup round-of-16 series. Mexican clubs Toluca, Necaxa and Club America have both signed reinforcements for the knockout phase. Brazilian club Santos can break the Libertadores Cup record of eight straight wins it now shares with Vasco da Gama if it beats Caracas FC in Venezuela.