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COPA SUDAMERICANA ROUND-UP

Boca knocked out by Velez

September 17, 2009

Champions Velez Sarsfield have knocked fellow Argentinians Boca Juniors out of the Copa Sudamericana.

Gabriel Paletta

GettyImages

Former Liverpool defender Gabriel Paletta in action for Boca.

A 60th-minute strike by Jonathan Cristaldo gave Ricardo Gareca's Velez a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Boca, who won the Copa Sudamericana in 2004 and 2005, played the final seven minutes without red-carded striker Martin Palermo. Velez will play Chile's Union Espanola in the next round.

Fabian Cubero, who helped to make Cristaldo's winner, told FOX Sports: "The coach (Gareca) told us it was a crucial game. We played great football. There is a long way to go. Tonight, we made the first step only. We defeated one of the best teams in Argentina.''

Boca defender Hugo Ibarra felt Palermo's dismissal was significant. "When we got a man sent off, it turned very difficult,'' he said. "Velez are great rivals. We did our best but we failed to equalise.''

Brazilian duo Goias and Botafogo also went through, with respective wins over Atletico Mineiro and Atletico Paranaense.

Goias went through after a penalty shoot-out at the end of a 1-1 draw, goalkeeper Harlei saved from Renan and Chiquinho. Junior had put Atletico Mineiro ahead in the 70th minute, but Felipe equalised with a penalty six minutes later.

In Rio de Janeiro, goals by Lucio Flavio (penalty), Gabriel and Wellington gave Botafogo a 3-2 win over Paranaense. Wesley and Nei were on target for the losers.

In the next round, Goias will play Paraguayan giants Cerro Porteno. Emelec, of Ecuador, will be Botafogo's opponents.