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Internacional beat Libertad to advance
| Written by: Stephen Sharp |
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| 2006-08-04 05:15:55 | ![]() |
PORTO ALEGRE, Aug 4 (SW) - Brazilian side Internacional booked their spot in the 2006 Copa Libertadores final after beating Libertad of Paraguay 2-0 on the night and on aggregate.
The first leg lacked a goal, but Internacional nearly pulled one off in the fourth minute as Fernandão centered from the right to strike partner Rafael Sóbis, but goalkeeer Horacio González was equal to the task and pushed it away. After that, the match settled into a ball possession game with very few scoring opportunities, less than the teams managed to produce in the scoreless first leg of play. There was an entertaining moment in the 33rd minute as Internacional sparked a beautiful, flowing move up the middle with Fabinho gliding the ball forward into the area, but González saved before Fernandão could get there. The first half came to a close with Libertad pressuring in the Internacional area, but nothing came of the opportunity and the players were forced to regroup at the break. After the interval, Internacional came out with enormous pressure, but Libertad enjoyed a spell of about five minutes of constant pressure on the Internacional goal, but that came to an abrupt end in the 63rd minute Seemingly from out of nowhere, Internacional midfielder Alex let loose a shot from over 30 yards out that bounced once hard, and after González misjudged it, the ball went inside the left post for the breakthrough. The Brazilians added to that lead five minutes later when Fernandão, too, struck from long distance and the ball again eluded González who was screened away from the shot by a defender whom the ball deflected off of before going in. The result sets up the second all-Brazilian final in two years in the Libertadores final, with the first leg set for next Wednesday. |
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