Vélez edge Deportivo Italia in Libertadores tilt

(GSM) – A 54th-minute goal by Hernán Rodrigo López gave Argentina’s Vélez Sarsfield a 1-0 win at Deportivo Italia of Venezuela on Tuesday, sending them top of Copa Libertadores Group 7.

Both sides came into Tuesday’s match as leaders of their respective domestic tournaments, but it was the visitors from Argentina that took the early initiative in Caracas.

Vélez had two chances go awry in the opening stages as Maximiliano Morales saw his effort saved nicely by Deportivo’s Bolivian goalkeeper José Carlo Fernández. In addition, Santiago Silva had an effort miss narrowly wide.

Italia had a great chance on 40 minutes when Marcelo Maidana’s header from a corner kick went just off target, and that missed proved costly nine minutes into the second half as Vélez took the lead.

Nicolás Cabrera swung a corner kick in from the right side which Italia failed to clear. That left López with a shot on target that eluded Fernández for a 1-0 lead.

The home side improved after the opener but never found the equalizer, leaving them with no points from their first two games.