BUENOS AIRES, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Boca Juniors started their Libertadores Cup defence with an unconvincing 1-1 draw at UA Maracaibo on Wednesday in the opening Group 3 match.
The Argentine team are seeking a seventh South American
Libertadores title but were outplayed by a lively Maracaibo
outfit in the first half.
Arsenal scraped through with a 1-0 home win over Paraguayan
side Libertad in Group 8.
Arsenal, who won the less prestigious Copa Sudamericana in
2007 for their first title, struggled to break through a
well-drilled Paraguayan defence until Luciano Leguizamon scored
with a free kick.
In Maracaibo, Venezuela, the hosts were composed in
possession and restricted Boca to counter-attacks for much of
the game.
Boca playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, well-marked throughout
the game, linked dangerously with Rodrigo Palacio but the
left-winger crashed his shot onto the Maracaibo crossbar.
The game suffered an interruption when a fan ran on the
pitch to embrace Riquelme, breaking up a Boca attack in the
process.
But after 80 minutes, Maracaibo broke the deadlock when
Miguel Mea Vitali smashed a rising free kick into the roof of
the Boca net.
Boca replied two minutes later when Sebastian Battaglia
converted a Riquelme cross that passed through a forest of
legs.
Libertad striker Roberto Gamarra was a constant menace for
Arsenal and twice came close to scoring in the first half.
Arsenal suffered a double setback when midfielder Sebastian
Carrera was forced off with a deep head gash, then defender
Javier Gandolf was substituted after pulling a muscle.
The game was heading for a draw until striker Leguizamon
flighted a delightful right-footed kick beyond the leaping
Horacio Gonzalez to give Arsenal a winning start to their
Libertadores campaign.
In the other Group 8 game played on Wednesday, Fluminense
held LDU Quito to a goalless draw in Ecuador.
Fluminense, who were last crowned Brazilian champions in
1984, were starting their first Libertadores campaign for 23
years.
A last-minute goal by Federico Higuain helped Mexican club
America beat Chile's Universidad Catolica 2-1 in the other
Libertadores Cup game played on Wednesday.
America striker Salvador Cabanas opened the scoring before
Dario Botinelli equalised. Higuain popped up to seal the win
for America, which lifts the Mexican club to joint top of Group
5, level with Peruvian club San Martin on three points.
