São Paulo, Internacional, Vélez advance to quarters

Goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni converted an 86th-minute penalty kick for Sao Paulo to beat Brazilian rival Palmeiras 2-1, and 3-2 on aggregate at its Morumbi stadium.

Velez took a 4-2 lead into the all-Argentine clash with Newell's Old Boys, almost squandered it in the second half, but escaped trouble with a disputed penalty goal and drew 2-2 to win 6-4 overall.

Brazil's Internacional held Nacional to 0-0 in Porto Alegre and advanced 2-1 on aggregate, eliminating the former three-time Copa champ from Uruguay.

In Sao Paulo, the home side knocked out Palmeiras in the round of 16 of the Latin American championship for the second year in a row. Palmeiras hasn't won at Morumbi in seven matches since 1992.

Ceni netted the late game-winner from the spot after World Cup defender Junior was brought down inside the area. It was Ceni's 61st career goal -- and second in four days.

Aloisio, Sao Paulo's leading scorer in this year's tournament with five goals, scored from a header in the 13th minute, then striker Washington equalized for Palmeiras with a header in the 57th, deflecting a free kick by midfielder Correa.

Ceni's goal added to a dramatic finish with a flurry of red cards.

Sao Paulo striker Leandro was sent off in the 67th for a hard foul on Palmeiras veteran striker Edmundo, and Palmeiras defender Paulo Baier was ejected in the 90th after an altercation with Ceni. Two other Palmeiras players, Marcinho Guerreiro and Thiago Gomes, were red-carded after the match for complaining with Brazilian referee Wilson de Souza Mendonca.

Sao Paulo will next face either Argentina's Estudiantes or Brazil's Goias, which play on Thursday. Estudiantes won the first leg 2-0 in Argentina.

Ignacio Scocco's opening goal in the 52nd minute left Newell's trailing Velez Sarsfield by only a goal in Buenos Aires, but the air in Newell's' bid deflated when Leandro Somoza equalized with a dubious penalty in the 76th.

Newell's began to unravel when Claudio Husain was sent off in the 62nd for a second yellow card.

Somoza's penalty was given when referee Daniel Gimenez decided Newell's defender German Re fouled Lucas Castroman. But the TV replay showed Re offered a fair tackle, and outside the box.

Given the formidable challenge of scoring three goals to level on aggregate, Newell's could score only one when Hugo Calace pounced on a rebound in the 84th.

Mauro Ocampo earned Velez the draw with an injury-time goal, and the 1994 Copa champ will play Mexico's Chivas Guadalajara in the quarters.

Internacional beat Nacional 2-1 last week in Uruguay, and was happy to survive a scoreless draw with Nacional on Wednesday.

Nacional scored off a header by midfielder Marco Vanzini in the fourth minute, but the goal was disallowed because of offsides.

The draw kept alive Internacional's 30-match unbeaten streak at Beira-Rio stadium since August.

Internacional will face Ecuador's Liga de Quito, which eliminated Colombia's Atletico Nacional on Tuesday 5-0 on aggregate score.

12:26 PM - May 4, 2006 - post comment