P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
Palmeiras	6	5	1	0	16	5	16
Cerro Porteo	6	4	1	1	17	6	13
Universidad	6	1	1	4	5	13	4
Sport Boys	6	0	1	5	3	17	1

RED = Qualified For Round of Last 16


2 MAY 2001

UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE 0
SPORT BOYS 0

Both teams had nothing to play for, so it was a painfully boring match.

Attendance : around 1,500

PALMEIRAS 5 : Alex 24, 40, Lopes 61, 77, Fábio Júnior 75
CERRO PORTEÑO 2 : Santos 38, Martínez 73

Palmeiras, who's struggling in Brazilian competitions, proved once again
that the Brazilian teams are one level above the others. With extreme ease
they've beaten Cerro Porteño, thus assuring first place in group 2.


18 APRIL 2001

UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE 1 : Castañeda 69
PALMEIRAS 2 : Fábio Júnior 21, Alexandre 86

This match was just a friendly, since both teams had their fates sealed.
Both sides played carelessly, in what was a very poor game.

Red Card : Maestri (Universidad)
Attendance : around 4,000


11 APRIL 2001

PALMEIRAS 3 : Fábio Júnior 23, Lopes 68, Galeano 85
SPORT BOYS 0

Palmeiras won this match under heavy boos from their own fans. Even playing
crap football, they managed to comfortably beat Sport Boys. Fábio Júnior
opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, heading home a perfect cross by Alex.
The second goal was scored by Lopes, in a potent free kick. And with five
minutes remaining, Galeano made it 3x0, easily tapping the ball in after a
free kick nicely taken by Alex.


10 APRIL 2001

CERRO PORTEÑO 6 : Ramírez 10, Ferreira 14, Alvarenga 16, Espínola 33,
Pedrinho 49, Achucarro 80
UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE 0

This is the first time I see a 6x0 rout where six different players scored
the goals. Anyway, this victory was easier than expected for Cerro, who has
ensured its qualification for the next stage. On the other hand, Universidad
depends on a very weird combination of results to advance. The home side
decided the match early. In the 10th minute, Ramírez dribbled past a
defender down the right side and opened the scoring with a precise shot. And
soon Cerro struck again, this time with Ferreira. In the 16th minute, the
Chileans were dead and buried when Alvarenga made it 3x0 for the home
side. Without any effort, Cerro kept on scoring. They made it 4x0 in the
33rd, when Espínola rose all alone to head home a cross by Alvarenga. In
the second half, there were two more goals to complete Universidad's misery.
And the Chilean side was lucky to escape from an even worse humiliation.


4 APRIL 2001

CERRO PORTEÑO 0
PALMEIRAS 0

In spite of this boring draw, both teams will qualify to the next stage,
since Universidad de Chile has shown nothing noteworthy on the pitch so far.


22 MARCH 2001

SPORT BOYS 0
CERRO PORTEÑO 4 : Hiroyama 7, 38, Ramírez 23, Ferreira 31

It was a bright start for Sport Boys, which had a penalty awarded in their
favour in the fifth minute. But Lobatón's shot was saved by Bobadilla, and
that miss seemed to affect the morale of the Peruvian side. Two minutes
later, Japanese Nozomi Hiroyama opened the scoring for Cerro Porteño in a
quick counter attack that caught Sport Boys' guard open. And then, with two
precise attacks, in the 23rd and 31st minutes, the Paraguayan side decided
the encounter. In the 38th minute, Hiroyama scored again, making it 4x0.
Luckily for the home side, Cerro Porteño slowed the pace in the second half,
and the scoreboard remained unchanged until the finish.


14 MARCH 2001

SPORT BOYS 1 : Asprilla 75
PALMEIRAS 4 : Tuta 24, 43, Alex 29, Lopes 48

This match gives a measure of how weak Peruvian football is. Palmeiras has
an awful team, is in deep crisis and is facing relegation in the São Paulo
State championship. Nevertheless, they barely broke a sweat to beat the crap
out of Sport Boys away from home. The first half was owned by the
Brazilians, who scored three times: twice with Tuta and once with Alex.
Early in the second half, Lopes made it 4x0, and then Palmeiras
understandably relaxed. Sport Boys then was able to balance things, and
eventually they got a consolation goal from Asprilla.


8 MARCH 2001

PALMEIRAS 2 : Lopes 13, 67
UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE 1 : Pizarro 34

Universidad de Chile started the match boldly, looking to attack, but they
were surprised by a tricky shot by Lopes, in the 13th minute, that
wrong-footed the goalkeeper and put Palmeiras ahead. The visitors increased
their pressure after the goal, and deservedly tied the match in the 34th
minute, after a nice play by Rivarola that was completed by Pizarro. The
Brazilian side improved a little in the second half, and managed to balance
the match. In the 67th minute, Lopes - who was coming back from a 4-month
suspension - found the net again, putting Palmeiras back ahead. Lopes
received a pass, found an opening in the Chilean defence and sent a crossed
shot with no chance for the keeper. In the final minutes, the visitors
pressed forward for an equaliser, but ended up empty-handed.


27 FEBRUARY 2001

SPORT BOYS 0
UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE 2 : Pizarro 66, Tampe 87

The first half was balanced, but lacked excitement. 21 minutes into the
second half, when the match seemed to be heading to a goalless draw, Pizarro
sent a good shot from a tight angle and opened the scoring for Universidad
de Chile. In the 87th minute, the visitors scored an insurance goal, after a
nice passing play that was completed by Tampe.

Attendance : 14,385


15 FEBRUARY 2001

CERRO PORTEÑO 3 : Ferreira 15, 30, Caballero 37
SPORT BOYS 1 : Tempone 72

Cerro Porteño needed just one half of the match to ensure victory. The home
side knew very well how to exploit the various weaknesses of Sport Boys.
Ferreira was the star of the match, scoring twice and assisting on the third
goal by Cerro Porteño. After the break, the Paraguayan side limited itself
to hold possession of the ball. Tempone scored a consolation goal for Sport
Boys, but it had no impact in the outcome of the match.

Attendance : around 28,000


8 FEBRUARY 2001

UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE 0
CERRO PORTEÑO 2: Garay 56, Campos 87

The first half was full of action, with the home side dominating the
proceedings, but neither team was able to find the net. In the second half,
Cerro Porteño surprisingly opened the scoring. Virgilio Ferreira outpaced
his marker and crossed to Silvio Garay, who just poked it in. The Chilean
side pushed forward and had most of possession, but seemed tired, not being
able to create many scoring chances. With three minutes left to go, Cerro
ensured victory. Garay created a counter attack and passed the ball to
Campos, who entered the box all alone and scored.


Tomaz R. Alves
tomaz@trivela.com
http://trivela.com