Thursday night saw Vélez Sarsfield as the last Argentine club standing in the 2011 Copa Libertadores. The Liniers side got a highly impressive 2-0 win away to Liga de Quito to complete a 5-0 aggregate win over the 2008 champions, whilst Estudiantes – Copa winners in 2009 – went out to Paraguay’s Cerro Porteño 5-3 on penalties in Asunción, after a 0-0 aggregate draw (Argentine Javier Villarreal scored the winning penalty in the shootout). This leaves Vélez as the only Argentine side in the quarter-finals, just a day after all but one of Brazil’s representatives were also eliminated (Santos are the only brazucas left standing). You can see videos of both Vélez’s and Estudiantes’ games right here.
Copa Libertadores 2011, round of 16 second legs, 5th May
Cerro Porteño (PAR) 0 – 0 Estudiantes (agg. 0-0; Cerro Porteño win 5-3 on penalties)
Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito (ECU) 0 – 2 Vélez Sarsfield (Vélez win 5-0 on agg.)
Vélez’s goals were scored by ‘Ricky’ Álvarez ten minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half (a floodlight failure had caused the game to be delayed midway through the first period), and Iván Bella in the 80th minute. They’ll meet Libertad of Paraguay in the quarter-finals, with the first leg to be played in Liniers on Wednesday of next week, and the second in Asunción on the following Wednesday.
In the other quarter-final ties, with the side at home in the first leg listed first, Once Caldas of Colombia host Brazil’s sole remaining side Santos, Uruguayan giants Peñarol take on Chile’s Universidad Católica, and Jaguares de Chiapas of Mexico play Estudiantes’ conquerors, Cerro Porteño.
You can follow the ins and outs during the 2011 Torneo Clausura, as well as the country’s vast foreign legion and the latest news from the selección during the 2010-2011 season direct from Buenos Aires with HEGS on Twitter. If you’ve not signed up yet you can do so here. You can also join the official HEGS Facebook group, to keep up to date with the latest posts on the blog and discuss things with other fans. You’ll find it here. Also remember to bookmark Hand Of Pod, our Argentine football podcast, or if you prefer you can subscribe to it on iTunes here.
Photo taken from ole.clarin.com
Hasta El Gol Siempre 
Just TWO sides from Brazil and Argentina in the Q/F’s?! Only in the Copa Libertadores! Fantastic stuff.
I had convinced myself that a Brazilian team would take the CL. Now, it seems wide open. The continent shakes! So exciting. (I love la casa blanca. Such a cool looking stadium – on TV)
Yes. A sad day when the champs de la Plata were knocked out.