River advance in Copa Libertadores
By Charles Froggatt for CNN
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Argentina's River Plate sealed their place in the second round of the Copa Libertadores by beating Tolima at home this week, while El Nacional fans taunted Independiente supporters with a stolen flag in Ecuador.
River were made to battle hard for their 1-0 win over their determined Colombian visitors, a result which gave the "Millionaires" a commanding four point lead in group six.
Tolima , who had to win the game in order to maintain any realistic hope of progressing in the tournament, started brightly.
But with River's captain and playmaker Marcelo Gallardo back in the side after injury, the Argentines took control of the game.
Gallardo's performance stood out in an inconsistent team display in which the Argentines failed to capitalize on their advantage on the flanks.
But it was Luis Gonzalez who headed in the winner on 38 minutes after Eduardo Coudet hit the best cross of the game.
River almost went two goals ahead in the second half after Gallardo hit the crossbar with a fizzing shot from outside the area.
Veteran Chilean striker and crowd favorite Marcelo Salas, who had already had a goal disallowed for offside, was unable to head in the rebound.
"The most important thing is that we qualify for the next round. There are still two fixtures to play," goalscorer Gonzalez warned.
River lead the group with 10 points while Deportivo Tachira of Venezuela follow with six. Both Tolima and Libertad of Paraguay are bottom with two points.
Only the group winners and the five best second best teams of the nine groups automatically qualify for the second round. The four remaining second placed teams face a playoff for the last two second round places.
Meanwhile in Quito, El Nacional scored the 700th goal by an Ecuadorian side in the Copa Libertadores during their 1-0 win over Argentine side Independiente in group five.
Nicolas Asencio shimmied past three Independiente players before passing to Felix Borja who hammered the ball into the back of the net.
Stolen flag
But the defeat was not the only one of the night for the traveling Argentine supporters, who suffered the indignity of having a flag stolen by the El Nacional fans.
Argentine fans, some of which are paid to support the clubs, are accustomed to such battles with rival supporters, and regularly burn flags they have captured, taunting their rivals after fighting in the streets.
Two Argentines were arrested as well as one home fan.
Uruguayan team Nacional lead the group with seven points followed by Independiente who trail by a point. Peruvian side Cienciano are bottom of the group while El Nacional will hope Independiente lose at home to Nacional next week in their bid to qualify for the second round.
In group three, Brazilian side Cruzeiro boosted their hopes of automatic qualification after a 5-0 routing of Chilean team Universidad de Concepcion who have already been eliminated from the tournament.
Demoralized Chileans
Cruzeiro now trail Mexican side Santos Laguna by just a point in group three but are unlikely to win the group as the Mexican team next play the demoralized Universidad de Concepcion in their last group game.
Santos Laguna lead group three with 11 points with Cruzeiro a point behind. Both Universidad de Concepcion and Venezuelan team Caracas FC are eliminated.
In group eight, Chilean misery continued with Colo Colo's exit after they went down 2-0 against Bolivian team Bolivar at altitude in La Paz. The now eliminated Chilean side are yet to record a point in group eight. The three Chilean sides in the competition have amassed only one point between them after twelve fixtures.
Colombian side Deportivo Cali lead the group on goal difference with six points along with Argentine champions Boca Juniors and Bolivar.
Next week's game in Buenos Aires between the holders and Deportivo Cali is the most crucial to date as the teams battle for an automatic place in the next round.
In group seven, Paraguayan side Guarani kept their second round hopes alive after they beat Jorge Wilstermann of Bolivia 3-1. Brazilian side Santos lead the group with 10 points while Guarani are second with six points. Barcelona of Ecuador follow with four points and Jorge Wilstermann have just a point.
