Libertad qualify with late winner

Libertad come from behind to qualify from Group 5 and eliminate Nacional\'s chances with a stoppage-time goal. Meanwhile in Peru, Juan Aurich stun The Strongest with narrow win.Libertad confirmed qualification through the group stage following a dramatic stoppage time winner from Victor Javier Cáceres.This win eliminates Nacional from qualifying from Group 5, with just one round of fixtures remaining for all sides.With such pressure on both sides to win the match, Nacional were handed a gift after just 9 minutes. Leaving the box with the ball at his feet, Bengas was guilty of some shocking defending as he inexcusably gave the ball away to Tabaré Viudez at the edge of the box. The National front-man kept his footing entered the area as his scuffed shot flew over Muñoz.There was a quick tempo to the start of proceedings, with both sides, in particular Nacional, making good use of their wingers. The Uruguayan club enjoyed good fortune down both flanks as they looked to stretch Libertad.Gumarelo began to get a real foot-hold on the game towards the end of the half and following several minutes of pressure almost equalised on the stroke of half-time when Velázquez’s freekick flew inches over the bar.Following the interval, the home team came out the much better of the two sides and went close to drawing level when José Ariel Núñez struck the crossbar from 25 yards out.Jonathan Santana’s shot from outside the box minutes after bent wickedly and tested the unsteady hands of Burián. However, Libertad finally made their pressure count after 66 minutes. Aquino’s low cross from the right was parried by Burían\'s outstretched arm into the path of Pablo Velázquez, who prodded the ball into the empty net.With less than 10 minutes remaining, the Paraguayan side were denied a clear penalty. Driving into the box, Christian Menéndez tapped the ball past the on-rushing Burián. The Nacional stopper clattered into the legs of the frontman and upended the striker but the referee gave nothing.However, in stoppage time at the end of the match, Santana’s whipped freekick into the box was flicked on by Menéndez but well tipped over. From the following corner, Nacional failed to clear and the ball dropped to Santana at the edge of the box. His shot rebounded out to Calzada, who again could not release the pressure and the ball fell to Victor Javier Cáceras who scuttled his low shot past Burián to take Libertad through.Juan Aurich grabbed their first points of this year’s Copa Libertadores following a surprise victory over stiff Bolivian opposition.Despite having not previously gained one point in their four games in Group 1, the Peruvian side stunned The Strongest to dismantle their challenge at qualification from the group.The game started brightly, and after just twenty minutes, Juan Aurich took a shock lead in the match. Herlyn Zúñiga ran down the right hand by-line before cutting a floated ball back towards the penalty spot, where Javier Araujo had out-maneuvered his marker to set himself and guide a calm right footed volley past Daniel Vaca.The Strongest were not at their best from the beginning of the match and looked uncomfortable with Juan Aurich’s tactics and style. The Bolivian side were unable to play a passing game and therefore resorted to playing long balls from defence up to González and Escobar; completely missing their usual fluid midfield.Despite this, the Bolivians looked much positive going forwards and began to really test Diego Penny’s goal with several shots from far out. Halfway through the second period, Escobar struck a wonderful shot from 35-yards out, which was tipped superbly by Penny onto the post and then cleared.However, The Strongest were unable to break El Ciclón del Norte down over ninety minutes and fell to a shock loss in Chiclayo.Following this fixture, the Group 1 qualifiers look favourably to be both Brazilian clubs Santos and Internacional. The Strongest will be frustrated to have missed such a good opportunity to move up to second with a win and now look to have lost their chance of qualification.