Buenos Aires (Argentina), May 18: Pablo Mouche's goal in the 52nd minute lifted Boca Juniors to a 1-0 victory over a 10-man Fluminense of Brazil on Thursday in a first-leg quarterfinal of the Copa Libertadores.
In another first-leg quarterfinal Thursday in the Argentine capital, Velez Sarsfield beat defending champion Santos 1-0, with Mauro Obolo scoring from a header in the 36th minute.
Boca forward Mouche scored from a sharp-angled, left-footed shot from 10 meters (yards) that sneaked inside the far post behind keeper Diego Cavalieri.
The Rio de Janeiro club played with 10 men after Carlinhos was shown a red card in the 34th following a bruising tackle.
“We needed to win at home and after the first goal we were hopeful of getting another,” Boca midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme said. “But we lacked finishing. We didn't bother them as much as we should have.”
With former star and Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez watching at Boca's La Bombonera stadium, the home side started slowly but was in control by the time Carlinhos was sent off.
Boca began to press and came up with a chance in the 18th when Cavalieri stopped Facundo Roncaglia on a close-in shot. Minutes later, Dario Cvitanich sailed a shot over the crossbar.
Boca had most of the possession with the man advantage.
Cavalieri sprawled to stop Mouche in the 41st. A minute later, Riquelme shot just wide of the near post, and seconds later Cavalieri saved Rolando Schiavi's shot.
Referee Hernan Buitrago wrongly turned down a Fluminense penalty apeal late in the first half with replays showing Roncaglia stopped a shot in the area with his outstretched arm.
Velez boosted its chances of advancing to the semifinals by denying Santos an away goal, while scoring through Obolo, who got on the end of a cross from Emiliano Papa and nudged in a header which beat Santos keeper Rafael and went inside the far post.
The goal capped a sustained period of pressure by Velez, with Juan Manuel Martinez and Francisco Cerro having shots moments earlier.
Ganso had the best early chance for Santos, forcing Velez keeper Marcelo Barovero into a leaping save in the 20th.
Santos' star striker Neymar was not much of a factor, getting few clear shots and eventually picking up a yellow card.
On Wednesday in first-leg quarterfinals, Universidad de Chile drew 1-1 at Paraguay's Libertad. In Rio de Janeiro, Vasco da Gama was held to a goalless home draw by Brazilian rival Corinthians.
The Vasco-Corinthians winner will play Velez or Santos in the semifinals. It will be Boca Juniors or Fluminense against either Libertad of Universidad de Chile in the other.
All four second-legs matches are next week.
