RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 8 (Reuters) -- Sao Paulo's Rogerio Ceni could become the highest-scoring goalkeeper in football history if he hits the target against Internacional in the first leg of the Libertadores Cup final on Wednesday.

The Sao Paulo captain will be a key player for his team at both ends of the field as the Brazilians attempt to win the competition for the second year in a row, just as they did in the 1990s with a memorable team coached by the late Tele Santana.

The first leg of the all-Brazilian final is at Sao Paulo's Morumbi stadium on Wednesday with the return in Porto Alegre one week later.

It has been a long road to the final, with a bizarre two-month gap between the two legs of the quarter-final ties due to the World Cup.

Rogerio, a free kick and penalty specialist, is tied with former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert on 62 goals after equalling his record, which has been recognised by FIFA, in the first leg of the semi-final against Mexico's Guadalajara.

Rogerio was his team's joint top-scorer in last year's Libertadores with five goals and has notched another three this time round.

One of the few players in the modern game to have dedicated his career to the same club, Rogerio has also shown more orthodox goalkeeping skills.

He saved a penalty as Sao Paulo beat Argentina's Estudiantes in a shootout at the end of their quarter-final and made another crucial penalty save during normal time of the Guadalajara tie.

GREMIO INDIGNITY

Internacional have never won the competition and have suffered the added indignity of watching their arch-rivals Gremio take the trophy twice in 1983 and 1995.

Their only previous appearance in the final was in 1980 when a team including former Brazil midfielder Paulo Roberto Falcao lost to Uruguay's Nacional over two legs.

But they have lost only once in 12 matches in this year's competition and will play the second leg at home in Porto Alegre thanks to their better record in the group stage.

The tie brings them face to face with former coach Muricy Ramalho, who led them to second spot in last year's Brazilian championship before joining Sao Paulo.

He has been replaced by Abel Braga who, by a quirk of fate, was in charge of Fluminense last season when they missed out on the Libertadores on goal difference from Palmeiras.

"Everyone knows everyone else. It's the coach's job to know the opposition," said Ramalho.

"These are two teams who don't like to spend time studying the opposition, they both go straight out so I think it will be a good game.

Sao Paulo previously won the Libertadores in 1992 and 1993 before Argentina's Velez Sarsfield denied them a hat-trick by beating them on penalties in the 1994 final when Chilavert played a key role.

They beat fellow Brazilians Atletico Paranaense 5-1 on aggregate in last year's final.

Teams:

Sao Paulo: 1-Rogerio Ceni; 3-Fabao, 4-Edcarlos, 5-Diego Lugano; 21-Souza, 7-Mineiro, 8-Josue, 10-Danilo, 6-Junior; 9-Leandro, 12-Ricardo Oliveira,

Internacional: 1-Clemer; 13-Indio, 3-Bolivar, 4-Fabiano Eller; 14-Ceara, 15-Edinho, 5-Fabinho, 24-Alex, 23-Jorge Wagner; 9-Fernandao, 21-Rafael Sobis

Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay)

Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

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