Copa Libertadores wrap: Horror night for Brazilian clubs

Four Brazilian clubs – including reigning champions Internacional – were dumped from the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday.

Penarol ousted Internacional from the tournament 3-2 on aggregate in their round-of-16 clash.

Their second leg in Porto Alegre saw the title holders go ahead on the night 1-0 and 2-1 on aggregate, courtesy of Oscar’s strike after just two minutes to please the home faithful.

The hosts could have gone further ahead but settled on their one-goal advantage at the break.

Penarol came out firing in the second half, however, and they wasted little time in finding the net with Argentine striker Alejandro Martinuccio beating Renan in the Internacional goal just a minute after play restarted.

Four minutes later, the Uruguay Primera Division champions took the lead when Juan Manuel Olivera rose highest to cushion a superb header past a diving Renan.

Penarol withstood a hectic final 20 minutes as Internacional sough desperately for a winner, but they held firm to reach the competition’s quarter finals.

Colombian outfit Once Caldas ensured the culling of Brazilian sides continued, as they arrested a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Cruzeiro courtesy of a 2-0 away win at Estadio Joaquim Henrique Nogueira.

Cruzeiro were forced to play with 10 men for just under an hour after Roger was sent off for picking up two yellow cards within five minutes, but Once Caldas lost their numerical advantage when Carlos Carbonero was given his marching orders in the 56th minute.

Once Caldas however, seemed to thrive on playing with 10 men, and Diego Amaya and Colombia striker Dayro Moreno both netted four minutes apart to record a rousing comeback victory.

Chile’s Universidad Catolica wrapped up a 3-1 aggregate victory over Gremio courtesy of a 1-0 home win at Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo.

Catolica led 2-1 after their away leg in Brazil, and sealed their progress to the final eight when attacking midfielder Milovan Mirosevic scored in the 87th minute.

Paraguayan side Libertad ensured a clean sweep of Brazilian exits on Wednesday as they spectacularly ousted Fluminense 4-3 on aggregate.

The Brazilians’ 3-1 home victory in the first leg put them in a dominant position heading to the Estadio Dr Nicolas Leoz, but one-time River Plate wingerRodrigo Rojas ensured a nervous final half-hour for the visitors when he scored in the 58th minute.

Fluminense tried to hold on to their 3-2 advantage but were heartbroken when midfielder Miguel Samudio found the back of the net in the 86th minute, putting the hosts ahead on goal difference.

Substitute Jose Nunez made sure of the result for Libertad with his injury time goal.