Rio De Janeiro, Apr 12: Six-time Copa Libertadores champion Boca Juniors defeated Fluminense 2-0 on Wednesday, securing a spot in the next round of Latin America's most important club competition.
Striker Dario Cvitanich opened the scoring in the first half and substitute Juan Sanchez Mino sealed the victory in the second to give Boca Juniors the win at a packed Engenhao stadium in Rio de Janeiro, snapping Fluminense's perfect record in the group stage. The Brazilian club had already advanced.
Brazilian champion Corinthians and Argentina's Velez Sarsfield also won on Wednesday to guarantee a place in the next round.
Cvitanich put Boca Juniors ahead by scoring from near the penalty spot in the 34th minute, beating defender Diguinho to the ball and firing a firm shot into the net. Mino added to the lead from close range in the 75th, completing a cross from near the far post.
Fluminense had a chance to pull one closer in the 83rd but substitute striker Rafael Moura's penalty was saved by Agustin Orion.
"We needed to have more attitude," Fluminense playmaker Thiago Neves said. "We have to raise our heads and finish strong in the last round."
Fluminense had won all its four matches and was the only club with a perfect record in the group stage.
"The loss was going to happen eventually, at least now it doesn't hurt us too much," Fluminense goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri said.
Despite the loss, the Rio club remains atop Group 4 with 12 points from five matches, two points ahead of Boca. With one round to go in the group stage, Arsenal of Argentina (six points) and Zamora of Venezuela (one point) have already been eliminated.
The top two teams in each of the eight groups advance to the round of 16.
Boca won despite the absence of veteran playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme with a left-knee injury sustained in the Argentine domestic league on Saturday.
In Paraguay, Corinthians secured its spot in the next round by beating Nacional of Paraguay 3-1 in Ciudad del Este, near the Brazilian border. Jorge Henrique scored in the 29th, Emerson added to the lead in the 52nd and Elton netted in the 72nd to seal the victory for the Brazilian champion. Midfielder Carlos Peralta scored Nacional's lone goal in the 71st.
The Copa Libertadores is the only major competition that popular Sao Paulo club Corinthians is yet to win.
In Guadalajara, Argentina's Velez Sarsfield defeated Guadalajara Chivas 2-0 to secure first place with one round left in Group 7.
Velez has 12 points, five more than Deportivo Quito of Ecuador and six more than Defensor of Uruguay. Chivas is last with four points and is virtually eliminated.
Midfielder Augusto Fernandez opened the scoring for Velez in the 70th and substitute Lucas Pratto sealed the victory at Omnilife stadium in the 90th.
