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Latin America roundup Boca ends Racing Club's unbeaten run
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -- Racing Club's unbeaten run in the Argentine championship ended when the league leader was beaten 3-1 by Boca Juniors on Thursday. Sporting Cristal lost to modest provincial opponents for the second time is six days as their chances of reaching the final of the Peruvian championship took another knock. Three Brazilian teams -- Gremio, Flamengo and Corinthians -- reached the semi-finals of the made-for-television Copa Mercosur tournament. ArgentinaLeader Racing Club was finally beaten in its 12th game of the Apertura (Opening) championship as it went down 3-1 at Boca Juniors. Boca midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme, the subject of almost daily rumors about a possible move to a big European club, set up Boca's first two goals for Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Marcelo Delgado. Riquelme was also involved in the move which led to the third scored by Ariel Carreno. Maximiliano Estevez scored Racing's consolation from a penalty. Racing, a fanatically supported club attempting to win its first domestic title since 1966, still leads River Plate by five points but has played a game more. PeruSporting Cristal, one of the big three Lima clubs, was beaten by a modest provincial outfit for the second time in six days as its hopes of winning the championship's second stage suffered another setback. Jorge Soto gave Cristal an early lead away to Alianza Atletico but the home team hit back before halftime through Alex Becera and Alejandro Cirpriano. Three players were sent off -- Cristal's Roberto Palacios for dissent and Manuel Marengo (Alianza) and Juan Pablo Arango (Cristal) for fighting. Cristal is third, three points behind leader Cienciano and one point behind Estudiantes de Medicina, who meet Friday in a top-of-the-table clash. Copa MercusorThree Brazilian teams reached the quarterfinals of the made-for-television event, in which 20 of the biggest clubs from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile take part by invitation. Flamengo, inspired by Yugoslav midfielder Dejan Petkovic who set up three goals, hammered Argentina's Independiente 4-0 at home in controversial circumstances. Independiente capitulated after defender Matias Manrique was harshly sent off early in the game, leading to furious protest in which its coach Enzo Trossero was also dismissed. Afterwards, the Argentines, who were held to a goallss draw in the first leg, claimed there was no water in their changning-room. Gremio won 2-0 away to Argentina's Talleres to complete a 2- 0 aggregate win while Corinthians knocked out Chile's Universidad Catolica, winning the second leg 2-0 for a 3-2 aggregate win. San Lorenzo salvaged Argentine pride, overcoming Cerro Porteno 2-1 in Paraguay for a 6-3 aggregate win. ColombiaOnce Caldas stayed top of the second stage, which rewards its winner with a place in next year's Libertadores Cup, thanks to a 1-0 win over Real Cartagena. Argentine Sergio Galvan Rey headed the winner in the second half. Caldas, coached by former chemical engineer Javier Alvarez, also stayed top in the overall standings which are used to decide which eight teams qualify for the final rounds of the complicated tournament. Title holder America beat Deportivo Cali 1-0 in a Cali derby with a goal by Edison Mafla. Both teams are on course to qualify. Striker Leider Preciado scored a hat-trick as Santa Fe moved into the top eight with a 4-1 win over Huila. BoliviaOriente Petrolero, Wilstermann, Bolivar and Real Potosi reached the semi-finals of the championship's second stage but The Strongest, one of country's most popular clubs, failed to make it as its troubled season came to an abrupt end. The Strongest, where coach Daniel Cordoba has complained of a players' mutiny against him, was beaten 1-0 by Independiente Petrolero. Defending champion Wilstermann went through in style with a 5-2 win over Oriente Petrolero, the team it beat in last year's final.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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