| Velez Sarsfield |
River face moment of truthRiver Plate still have a chance to clinch a place in the last 16 of the Libertadores Cup when they host already-qualified Libertad in this week's matches.Six places are still up for grabs in the next round of the competition, South America's equivalent of the Champions League. All will be settled this week as the group stage comes to an end. Defending champions Sao Paulo and fellow Brazilians Goias and Palmeiras are already through along with Argentine pair Velez Sarsfield and Estudiantes, Colombian duo Atletico Nacional and Santa Fe, Guadalajara of Mexico, LDU of Ecuador and Paraguay's Libertad. River, champions in 1986 and 1996, were among the pre-tournament favourites but the Argentines have spluttered through Group 8 losing all three of their away games. However, other results have gone their way and Daniel Passarella's team remain second in the group with six points from five games, one ahead of Ecuadorean army club El Nacional and Brazilian second division side Paulista. Libertad have 11 points. River's last chance will be at home to Libertad in Buenos Aires while El Nacional host Paulista at 2,800 metres above sea level in Quito the same evening, both hoping River slip up. Paulista qualified by winning last year's Copa Brasil knock-out tournament. Internacional, who lead Group 6 with 11 points from five games, should become the fourth Brazilian side to qualify when they host Venezuelan champions UA Maracaibo in Porto Alegre. Internacional, who have a 100 percent home record, need only a point to go through. Maracaibo are level on eight points with Uruguay's Nacional, who visit eliminated Mexicans UNAM. Maracaibo's goal difference is better by three then Nacional's. Brazilian champions Corinthians still need one point to qualify in Group 4, which they should pick up when they host Deportivo Cali in Sao Paulo. The visitors have only one point from five outings and are already eliminated. Corinthians are level on 10 points with Chilean champions Universidad Catolica, who face the long trip to Mexico to face UANL in Monterrey. UANL have seven points and a straight win will be enough to put send them through at the expense of either Catolica or Corinthians. The remaining place will be be settled when Union Espanola (7 points), The Strongest (6) and Newell's Old Boys (5) are all scrambling to follow Goias through from Group 3. Chile's Union Espanola have a difficult trip to Goias while Argentina's Newell's have home advantage against The Strongest, Bolivia's last hope, in Rosario. 1:25 PM - April 18, 2006 - post comment
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