Guaraní completes semifinal - Copa Libertadores

Guaraní have reached the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores. A goalless draw last night was enough to advance 1-0 on aggregate against the Argentinian side Racing Club. A massive achievement to keep Racing fully off the scoresheet, considering the opponent had (and still has) the competition's top scorer. Either way, the times of Bou and Milito are over, it's time to look at what awaits us in the semifinal after the upcoming Copa América. Guaraní will once again face an Argentinian team, this time with the home advantage in the second leg...

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Party time in Brazil – River Plate shock Cruzeiro

After the first leg in the previous week, not many people would have predicted River Plate to advance to the next round. They showed those people to never count them out impressively last night. A 3-0 away win at Brazilian team Cruzeiro meant it was them who ended up winning 3-1 on aggregate and reaching the semi final against either Guaraní or Argentinian rivals Racing Club. This time around it took place in a lot more human way compared to...

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Rafael Moura ends Colombian dreams – Internacional to the semi finals

Wednesday evening means Copa Libertadores time, and Internacional SC play hosts for Santa Fe tonight. After having lost the first leg 0-1, the Brazilian side will need to win with at least a two goal margin to advance to the semi finals. So let us get right into it. It took central defender Juan three minutes, and from two meters out he converted from an Internacional corner. Throughout his career (Leverkusen, Roma) he showed that strength,...

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Just keep on winning – Guaraní on its way to the semis

15.000 spectators came into the Defensores del Chaco stadium on Thursday evening and they were not disappointed by their team. Guaraní, having just eliminated Corinthians in the last round, came away with yet another victory against a favored side. In fairness, Racing Club had to play with ten men for a good 50 minutes of the match, after Lollo received a questionable red card in the 41st due to an elbow to the head of the opposition player. It still...

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8 teams left – Copa Libertadores entering decisive stage

The round of 16 matches are done, and after the big scandal at the Superclásico, that you surely read of, and which I will not be giving any platform here, only eight teams are left competing for the title this season. Some big favorites exited in the previous week, Corinthians and Boca being two of them. Let us take a look at who is left and who has the best chances to advance. Who? The highest seed left in the Copa are no South Americans. Mexico’s UANL Tigres will face Ecuador’s Emelec. The Mexicans have not lost a single game yet, 5 wins and...

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Racing across the finish line – Argentinians win it

Racing Club hosted the Montevideo Wanderers in tonight’s early Copa Libertadores kickoff. After a 1-1 in the first leg, a goalless draw would be enough for the Argentinians, but as you know, relying on that never works, so it was interesting to see what kind of game would develop. The atmosphere was already on quarter final level. None of the teams seemed to be willing to waste much time defending. If you remember my article on the first leg, you...

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Nothing new in Argentina – Messi leads the same team

The preliminary Argentinian Copa América squad does not come up with a lot surprises. Lionel Messi continues to lead a team that finished second behind only Germany in the 2014 World Cup. The squad has a ton of experience in every position and will undoubtedly be one of the big favorites at the tournament in Chile. Sergio Romero is the last man on the pitch for Argentina and has been for quite some years now. His reflexes make him one of the best...

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Last hooray for the Pizza Express – Peru squad

When you think of international stars for Peru, you will look towards Bayern Munich and Corinthians pretty fast. Claudio Pizarro might be 36 years of age, but he is the man that the young players look up to. Record goalscorer for foreigners in the German Bundesliga is a remarkable achievement for the player who found his second home in Europe. Paolo Guerrero is currently one of the best strikers playing in South America, precisely for Brazil’s Corinthians....

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Cavani as decisive factor – Uruguay squad

Uruguay has released their preliminary 27 man roster for the upcoming Copa América. PSG star striker Edinson Cavani will carry a lot of the offensive weight, he is the only player who has scored more than 10 goals for Uruguay in this squad (25). The suspension of Luis Suárez and the retirement of Diego Forlán puts the full spotlight on him. Nevertheless the squad as a whole is very experienced, many players played at least one World Cup, some even...

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Weeks of the Superclásico – River beat Boca 1-0

We are most definitely seeing the weeks of the Superclásico: Last weekend saw the first of three matches in under two weeks between Boca and River, which ended in a late 2-0 league victory for Boca Juniors. Now, the round of 16 had the second treat for football fans across the globe. And again the home team came away with a win. This time it was River Plate who won the game 1-0 in their Monumental stadium, through a penalty goal from Carlos Sanchez...

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Late equalizer stops Wanderers – Racing in good position

Gran Parque Central, the only Uruguayan survivor in the Copa Libertadores takes the stage. The Montevideo Wanderers host Racing Club, who’s attack with Diego Milito and Gustavo Bou is one of the better duos of the whole competition. And as you would expect, they were both in the starting 11 for tonight’s clash, making the Argentinians favorites over two legs. And maybe tonight? I do not think that one should have expected an offensive firework tonight....

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Led by Neymar - Brazilian Copa América squad

Nearly a month before the official deadline by the South American football federation CONMEBOL, Brazil have released their 23 men squad for the upcoming Copa América. It includes the names that were expected for the most part. Captain Neymar from Barcelona leads the way for a relatively old, but still unexperienced squad, who’s average age is 26.5. Santos striker Robinho has the most caps with 96, and will possibly reach the 100 mark in a quarter...

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Failed but recovered – Nacional qualify for Copa 2016

Yesterday evening in the Uruguayan league saw the first big decision of the season with impact on next year’s Copa Libertadores. Montevideo’s Club Nacional have won the annual table and therefore qualified for next year’s intercontinental competition. The iconic side will also compete for the Uruguayan championship. After a slow start to the season, that saw them around the bottom of the league and failing to qualify for the group stage of the Copa...

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