Ischia under pressure to resign at Boca Juniors

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -Carlos Ischia hopes to hang on as Boca Juniors coach despite a humbling exit from the Copa Libertadores in the round of 16 this week.

Boca was embarrassed at home on Thursday in a 1-0 loss to Uruguay's Defensor Sporting, which advanced 3-2 on aggregate.

It was the first time in six years Boca was ousted from the Copa at the Bombonera.

The Argentine champion - and six-time winners of the Copa Libertadores - missed out on the quarterfinals of Latin America's biggest club championship, leading to speculation about Ischia's future.

"Ischia has a contract with Boca until December, but here nobody is guaranteed anything,'' Jose Baraldi, club vice president, told Argentine sports channel TyC on Friday.

For his part, Ischia said he planned to stay.

"My contract lasts until December, and I'll do all I can to see it through,'' Ischia said. "I'm strong and I want to go on. ... the team's out, and that's my responsibility.''

Boca midfielder Juan Ramon Riquelme, who has been out recently with injuries, was also criticized for his lackluster game.

"No single team always wins the cup,'' Riquelme said. "It seems that Boca is the only team that is obliged to win every year. ... We play for the biggest team in the country and we ask the fans to forgive us. I'm very sad.''