RIO DE JANEIRO, May 9 - Chilean champions Colo
Colo wasted a flurry of chances as they were knocked out of the
Libertadores Cup by America on Tuesday, despite winning their
third-round second leg 2-1.
The Mexican team, who rested eight players for the trip to
Santiago because of fixture congestion, went through to the
last eight by virtue of their 3-0 win at home last week.
Colo Colo created enough openings to have wiped out the
deficit but were let down by poor finishing, which included two
candidates for the worst miss of the year.
In the 22nd minute, teenager Alexis Sanchez beat three men
on the right and found Moises Villaroel who, needing only to
tap the ball in at the far post, contrived to shoot wide from
six metres.
In the 66th minute, Arturo Vidal incredibly headed the ball
over the crossbar from two metres with the goal at his mercy.
Sanchez and Luis Mena also hit the woodwork in the first
half, while Humberto Suazo was denied by superb save from
Guillermo Ochoa.
Colo Colo finally broke through with 20 minutes remaining,
when Gonzalo Fierro's shot struck the post and rebounded off
America defender Jose Antonio Castro into the net.
America, who face Atlas in a two-leg Mexican championship
quarter-final tie on Thursday and Sunday, survived further
pressure before killing the tie when Carlos Infante scored with
a rasping 30-metre drive in the 88th minute.
Suazo scored again for the Chileans one minute later but
did not even bother celebrating. The hosts also had midfielder
Rodrigo Melendez sent off in injury-time for a wild challenge.
Colombian champions Cucuta joined America in the last eight
by knocking out Toluca, despite losing 2-0 away to the Mexicans
in their second leg.
Cucuta, one of the competition's surprise packages,
comfortably went through 5-3 on aggregate.
Brazilian-born midfielder Antonio Naelson scored with a low
shot from the edge of the area in the 22nd minute.
However, by the time Ignacio Scocco added the second in the
last minute, it was too late for Toluca.