Brazilian teams Santos reached the Copa Libertadores final as they drew 3-3 away to Paraguay's Cerro Porteno to claim a narrow 4-3 aggregate win on Wednesday (6/1/2011). They having beaten Cerro 1-0 at home in last week's first leg.
Santos, who won the title in 1962 and 1963, will play the Copa Libertadores title-deciding tie for the first time since 2003, when they lost to Boca Juniors. Cerro Porteno, meanwhile, missed the opportunity to play their very first final after putting up an incredible fight.
Elano hit a right-footed free kick from the left, following a foul on Neymar, to the near post where Ze Eduardo's glancing header beat goalkeeper Diego Barreto. Seven minutes later, Cerro coach Leonardo Astrada was forced to make a substitution as midfielder Ivan Torres picked up an injury and Juan Manuel Iturbe came in.
In the 28th minute, Pedro Benitez headed the ball into the back of his own net, not helped by a mistake by keeper Diego Barreto and helped Santos widen the gap to two, three overall, to leave Cerro needing to score four goals to progress.
Cerro, reacted quickly and pulled a goal back less than four minutes later, left back Cesar Benitez heading home Argentine youth international Juan Iturbe's curling corner. but Neymar finished a rapid fast counter-attacking play to consolidate Santos' lead.
Battling Cerro pulled another goal back after an hour when striker Fredy Bareiro headed down a cross from the right and substitute midfielder Lucero volleyed past Rafael. Cerro needed three more to make it into the finals and Jonathan Fabbro gave his team's fans some hope with a long-distance shot in the 81st to level 3-3.In the last minute of the game, Santos captain Edu Dracena was shown a red card and will miss the first leg of the final. Santos will meet five-time champions Penarol, the Uruguayans advancing on the away goals rule despite losing 2-1 to favourites Velez Sarsfield, in the first leg Penarol beat Velez Sarsfield 1-0 in Montevideo.
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