Copa Libertadores: Chivas rips San Jose, still fails to advance

SANTOS, Brazil (AP) -- A dramatic late winner put Brazil's Santos into the second round of the Copa Libertadores, and Argentina's San Lorenzo also made it through to the last 16 on Wednesday.

Argentine striker Mariano Tripodi volleyed in a winner two minutes from fulltime to give Santos a 2-1 win over Colombia's Cucuta that saw the Sao Paulo club finish second in Group 6.

That goal crushed the hopes of Mexico's Chivas, which won 3-0 away at Bolivia's San Jose and would have taken that second spot had Santos been held to a draw.

In Group 1, San Lorenzo won 3-0 over Venezuela's Caracas to claim second spot. The teams had started the match level on points and goal difference, with Caracas having the edge over San Lorenzo on goals scored and positioned to go through in the event of a draw.

Nine teams have now qualified for the knockout round-of-16, with all but two of them from traditional South American powers Argentina and Brazil.

Santos joined Cruzeiro, Fluminense and Flamengo as the Brazilian clubs in the second round, but its progress looked unlikely until Tripodi's late winner.

Cucuta -- which had already booked a second-round berth -- took the lead via a Lin Carlos Henry freekick in the 23rd minute.

The Colombians had a golden opportunity to double the lead in the second half when Elvis Rivas rounded the keeper and shot on an empty net, only for defender Fabao to clear off the line.

Santos' comeback began in the 68th when striker Weslei drove to the left byline and found Kleber Pereira in the goal area. The striker whirled and fired just under the crossbar.

Henry and Santos defender Domingos were red-carded after an altercation, and Santos coach Emerson Leao was also expelled.

When play resumed, Kleber Pereira sent an arching shot from the left side that rebounded off the crossbar to Tripodi, who fired in the game-winner in the 88th.

The goal denied Chivas, which was left to rue a poor start to its campaign -- losing three of its first four games -- after falling short of a second-round berth.

Sergio Avila scored twice in the first half for the Mexicans against San Jose, with Gonzalo Pineda completing the scoring 10 minutes into the second half.

San Jose was already eliminated before the game began.

San Lorenzo quickly took the upper hand against Caracas in their winner-takes-all match.

Gonzalo Bergessio notched the first goal in the 16th minute and Vicente Rosales scored an own-goal in the 36th. Andres Silvera made sure of the three points when he second in the 80th.

San Lorenzo finished Group 1 with 10 points, one behind Cruzeiro. Caracas and Real Potosi of Bolivia were eliminated.

Real Potosi exited in some style, thrashing a second-string Cruzeiro 5-1 on Wednesday.

In another meaningless fixture, Argentina's Arsenal won 2-1 away at Paraguay's Libertad in a clash of two already-eliminated teams.

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