Copa Libertadores: Cruzeiro, Estudiantes advance to
semis
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) -- Cruzeiro booked its spot in the Copa Libertadores semifinals with a 2-0 win over fellow-Brazilian team Sao Paulo on Thursday, while Estudiantes of Argentina defeated Uruguay's Defensor Sporting to advance.
Sao Paulo had two players sent off and Cruzerio took advantage of the extra men to come away with a 4-1 aggregate victory after winning 2-1 at home last month.
Estudiantes won 1-0 with a 13th minute goal from Leandro Benitez to down Defensor Sporting 2-0 on aggregate.
Sao Paulo's hopes of overturning its first-leg loss suffered a blow when Eduardo Costa was sent off just before half time for a second bookable offense with the score delicately poised at 0-0.
Cruzeiro took advantage of the extra player when Henrique scored from a long-range strike in the 66th minute.
Needing two goals to stay in the competition, Sao Paulo poured forward but suffered a double blow when Andre Dias conceded a penalty for hand ball and received a second yellow card in the 81st minute.
Kleber scored from the spot to seal Cruzeiro's passage to the semifinals.
Benitez gave Estudiantes breathing space against Defensor at La Plata, Argentina after capitalizing on a poor clearance by defender Pablo Pintos in the 13th minute.
After losing the first leg in Montevideo, Defensor fielded a weakened lineup with one eye on this weekend's final of Uruguay's national championship against Nacional.
Estudiantes had further chances to score when Juan Salgueiro's shot hit the post in the 36th minute and Benitez went clean through in the 77th minute, but any chance of a Defensor comeback disappeared when Carlos Diaz was sent off in the 82nd.
Cruzeiro will face another all-Brazilian matchup against Gremio in the semifinals, while Estudiantes will play a second Uruguayan team, Nacional. The home and away matches will be played on June 24 and July 1.
The two-legged final of the Copa Libertadores, celebrating its 50th edition this year, will be played on July 8 and 15.
All four remaining teams in the competition have won the title before. Estudiantes and Nacional have been champions three times, while Gremio and Cruzeiro have both won twice.
Estudiantes captain Juan Sebastian Veron will be hoping to emulate his father Juan Ramon who won the title with the La Plata club in 1968, 69 and 70.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/06/18/copa.thu.ap/index.html
semis
MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) -- Cruzeiro booked its spot in the Copa Libertadores semifinals with a 2-0 win over fellow-Brazilian team Sao Paulo on Thursday, while Estudiantes of Argentina defeated Uruguay's Defensor Sporting to advance.
Sao Paulo had two players sent off and Cruzerio took advantage of the extra men to come away with a 4-1 aggregate victory after winning 2-1 at home last month.
Estudiantes won 1-0 with a 13th minute goal from Leandro Benitez to down Defensor Sporting 2-0 on aggregate.
Sao Paulo's hopes of overturning its first-leg loss suffered a blow when Eduardo Costa was sent off just before half time for a second bookable offense with the score delicately poised at 0-0.
Cruzeiro took advantage of the extra player when Henrique scored from a long-range strike in the 66th minute.
Needing two goals to stay in the competition, Sao Paulo poured forward but suffered a double blow when Andre Dias conceded a penalty for hand ball and received a second yellow card in the 81st minute.
Kleber scored from the spot to seal Cruzeiro's passage to the semifinals.
Benitez gave Estudiantes breathing space against Defensor at La Plata, Argentina after capitalizing on a poor clearance by defender Pablo Pintos in the 13th minute.
After losing the first leg in Montevideo, Defensor fielded a weakened lineup with one eye on this weekend's final of Uruguay's national championship against Nacional.
Estudiantes had further chances to score when Juan Salgueiro's shot hit the post in the 36th minute and Benitez went clean through in the 77th minute, but any chance of a Defensor comeback disappeared when Carlos Diaz was sent off in the 82nd.
Cruzeiro will face another all-Brazilian matchup against Gremio in the semifinals, while Estudiantes will play a second Uruguayan team, Nacional. The home and away matches will be played on June 24 and July 1.
The two-legged final of the Copa Libertadores, celebrating its 50th edition this year, will be played on July 8 and 15.
All four remaining teams in the competition have won the title before. Estudiantes and Nacional have been champions three times, while Gremio and Cruzeiro have both won twice.
Estudiantes captain Juan Sebastian Veron will be hoping to emulate his father Juan Ramon who won the title with the La Plata club in 1968, 69 and 70.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/06/18/copa.thu.ap/index.html



@ Adebayor being traded to AC Milan?

Chelsea v Man United (16.00)