Santos' 1-0 win in the first leg in Brazil proved enough to earn the aggregate victory.
Posted Wednesday, May 04, 2011 by YAHOO Sport
America had good chances to level the overall scoreline with Aquivaldo Mosquera hitting the post with a first-half header and Santos goalkeeper Rafael forced into three diving saves as the Mexican club upped the pressure after the break.
“America is an excellent side and that makes the victory even more important,” said Rafael. “We qualified by beating a very good team tonight.”
Santos will face the winner of the Once Caldas-Cruzeiro match in the quarters. Brazil’s Cruzeiro has a 2-1 advantage ahead of the return leg against the Colombian team in Brazil on Wednesday.
Return fixtures of the other final 16 matches will be played Wednesday and Thursday.
America pushed hard at the beginning of the game against Santos, knowing at least one goal was needed to stay in the competition.
Juan Carlos Valenzuela almost gave the home side the breakthrough after just failing to meet Daniel Montenegro’s free kick at the back post in the fifth minute, before Mosquera’s header hit the post with Rafael beaten.
America coach Carlos Reinoso left out top scorer Angel Reyna as the team played its second game in three days. America rounds off a grueling week with home and away matches in the Mexican league playoffs on Thursday and Sunday.
Needing a goal, Reyna was introduced in the second half and the change spurred the home side to create a glut of opportunities.
Rafael tipped over an effort from Enrique Esqueda, repeated the feat to frustrate Reyna and pulled off a one-handed save at full stretch to prevent another Reyna shot from curling into the top corner as the clock ticked down.
America’s final chance fell to Luigiano Gallardo, who screwed his volley wide in stoppage time.
The match was played in Queretaro, more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Mexico City’s 100,000-plus capacity Azteca stadium, where America usually plays its home games because the Azteca is being prepared for a concert by rock group U2.
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