Copa Libertadores 2012, Round Of 16: Universidad de Chile Go Down In Flames

Boca Juniors and Vasco da Gama took the lead in their Copa Libertadores Round of 16 ties on Wednesday night, though both left the ties wide open. Union Española and Lanus both grabbed away goals in their one-goal losses, leaving things very much up in the air. In the other match on Wednesday, Corinthians grabbed an important away draw, but failed to score a goal.

Juan Roman Riquelme netted the opener for Boca, netting in the 24th minute on a great give-and-go move with Dario Cvitanich in the 24th minute. Boca looked like the team on top for most of the rest of the first half and the beginning of the secon half, but Union Española found an equalizer on a great long ball attack. In the 72nd minute, Emanuel Herrera beat his man in the air and headed the ball directly into the path of Sebastian Jaime, who hit a vicious shot into the back of the net from just inside the box. Their joy was short lived, however, as Santiago Silva headed in a winner from a Pablo Mouche cross in the 89th minute.

Libertad weren’t at their best in the first half against Cruz Azul, but a good second half performance helped them to an important away draw and a goal. They let Cruz Azul create a lot of shooting opportunities and dodged a couple of bullets on Tuesday night, but they’ll be happy to leave Mexico City with a 1-1 draw.

The Paraguayan side are favorites headed home in their Copa Libertadores tie, and they’ll become massive favorites if Cruz Azul goalkeeper Jesus Corona isn’t able to make the trip. In an unfortunate incident in the beginning of their first leg match, Corona took an inadvertent knee to the head in the10th minute and appeared to lose consciousness on the pitch. It took three minutes for him to be stretchered off, and he was replaced by Yosgart Gutierrez.

Velez Sarsfield is well in control of their Copa Libertadores Round of 16 tie after pulling off a road win in Colombia on Tuesday. One day after they fired manager Santiago Escobar, Atletico Nacional did not look like a team with a plan, and Velez came away from the first leg with a 1-0 victory.

Ivan Bella scored the game’s only goal in the 9th minute, and it was an absolute beauty. Collecting a pass from Juan Manuel Martinez on the edge of the penalty area to the left of Gaston Pezzuti, Bella turned and curled a fantastic shot around Pezzuti’s hand, sneaking his shot into the back of the net at the far post.

Six out of the eight Copa Libertadores Round of 16 ties get underway this week, while the teams that played last week all get a round off. None of the knockout stage ties look like blowouts on paper, and most of the favored teams are the higher seeds, so they start their ties away.

Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. ET