Copa Libertadores 2009 - grp stage part 2 [R]

Today is holiday here in Brazil too. No work.

São Paulo 2 x 1 Defensor

SP didn't play well again. I'm starting to worry.

 

Bah, Sport lost the only game they couldn't afford to lose this year. Unfortunately, due to the string of good results we've had against Palmeiras in the last year (though historically they are well ahead of us in the direct matchups), the rubronegros had bloodlust for this game. Luxemburgo had a very sound strategy; despite Palmeiras being in the desperate situation, they held back and forced the Sport fans to push their team forward. Then, in an isolated play in which Magrão failed, Palmeiras scored. It's a shame, but I'm a realist and I'm never going to say that losing to Palmeiras is an upset.

The problem is that this weekend Sport plays an important home game for the State league, which, depending on our archrival's results, could yield the State league title to use for the fourth year in a row. In an ideal world, Sport will win and Náutico, who are famous for choking and perpetrated the greatest choke in the history of soccer in the 2005 Série B against Grêmio (they missed two penalty kicks in a home game and allowed Anderson to score after Grêmio had FOUR players ejected), will lose. That way we could focus exclusively on the Libertadores and who knows, make it past the group stage. I had Sport and Palmeiras moving to the elimination round, so who knows, maybe I needed this loss to be proven right!

 

I wouldn't be too concerned as a SPFC fan: you guys tend to kick it into full gear in the 2nd round.

 

Grupo 1
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
Colo Colo 4 2 1 1 8 4 4 7
Sport 3 2 0 1 4 3 1 6
-------------------------
LDU Quito 4 1 1 2 4 8 -4 4
Palmeiras 3 1 0 2 5 6 -1 3

Grupo 2
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
Boca Juniors 4 4 0 0 8 2 6 12 (CLASIFICADO)
D.Cuenca 4 2 0 2 7 3 4 6
-------------------------
D.Táchira 4 2 0 2 4 5 -1 6
Guaraní (PAR) 4 0 0 4 3 12 -9 0 (ELIMINADO)

Grupo 3
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
Nacional(URU) 4 3 1 0 8 1 7 10 (CLASIFICADO)
Univ. San Martín 4 2 1 1 6 5 1 7
------------------------------
River Plate 4 1 1 2 2 5 -3 4
Nacional (PAR) 4 0 1 3 2 7 -5 1 (ELIMINADO)

Grupo 4
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
São Paulo FC 4 3 1 0 7 3 4 10 (CLASIFICADO)
D.Indep. Medellín 4 0 4 0 2 2 0 4
---------------------------------
Defensor Sporting 4 1 1 2 2 3 -1 4
América de Cali 4 0 2 2 2 5 -3 2

Grupo 5
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
Cruzeiro 5 3 1 1 7 5 2 10
Estudiantes LP 5 3 0 2 9 4 5 9
-----------------------------
D.Quito 4 1 2 1 3 6 -3 5
Universitario(BOL) 4 0 1 3 1 5 -4 1 (ELIMINADO)

Grupo 6
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
Guadalajara 4 2 1 1 8 5 3 7
Everton 4 2 1 1 6 8 -2 7
-----------------------
Caracas 4 2 0 2 5 3 2 6
Lanús 4 0 2 2 4 7 -3 2

Grupo 7
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
Grêmio 4 3 1 0 6 1 5 10
Univ.de Chile 4 2 1 1 6 3 3 7
----------------------------
Boyacá Chicó 4 2 0 2 6 4 2 6
Aurora 4 0 0 4 1 11 -10 0 (ELIMINADO)

Grupo 8
Equipo PJ G E P GF GC +/- Puntos
Libertad 5 4 0 1 7 3 4 12 (CLASIFICADO)
Universitario(PER) 5 2 2 1 6 5 1 8
--------------------------------
San Luis 5 1 2 2 5 7 -2 5
San Lorenzo 5 1 0 4 4 7 -3 3 (ELIMINADO)

Hasta ahora, los 16 clasificados serían:
Brasil(4): Sao Paulo, Gremio, Cruzeiro, Sport.
Chile(3): Colo-Colo, Everton, Univ.de Chile.
Perú(2): Universitario, Univ.San Martín.
Argentina(1): Boca Juniors, Estudiantes.
Paraguay(1): Libertad.
Ecuador(1): Cuenca.
México(1): Guadalajara
Colombia(1): D.I.M.
Uruguay(1): Nacional

 

Can anyone tell me which group Chivas might face if they advance from their current group please?

 

Impossible to tell until the groups are over. There'll be a table with the 16 qualified teams that will decide the clashes, like the 1st vs. 16th, 2nd vs. 15th, 3rd vs. 14th, 4th vs. 13th, 5th vs. 12th, 6th vs. 11th, 7th vs. 10th and 8th vs. 9th.

What a pity that Defensor Sporting is focusing on the league, they could be an interesting side to watch if they paid attention to the cup.

 

I had great expectations about San Lorenzo, but they are terrible this year. Los Millonarios aren't pretty good either.

 

Off Topic: You knows whats crazy? I caught a commercial on FX (fox channel) advertising out of all soccer broadcasts on this main cable channel the Copa Libertadores and that its the biggest tournament in the Americas. They also were advertising it in english talking about Fox Sports en Espanol. This SHOCKED me, in that out of all channels they chose to show on there, it was fox sports en espanol, and the copa libertadores (which does have an english option apparently), i am guessing this is because Fox Soccer Channel recently got the rights to the Champions league and is trying to get their audience on FX ready, because they will show all HD games they get on FX, until i think they can get their own channel.

My question is, do they give Copa Libertadores games in HD yet? Will it ever happen?

 

Not yet but in South America it's believed that there will be a FOX Sports HD sometime this year(some people claims there's already a slot for it on digital cables). Though as i pointed in the thread of the main CONMEBOL forum, i suspect the Libertadores could be moving to other channels due scheduling conflicts with UEFA tournaments, but this is just a suspect of mine.

 

^^It would be the ultimate compliment to watch teh games in 16:9 sharp HD!

I would die and go to heaven if i could see my beloved Bolivar(if they qualify for the 2010 Copa Libertadores ) in full HD!

 

Got to wait and see.

By the way i've been researching and DirecTV has FOX Sports HD, but it isn't the latin american one(neither the mexican or the argentine) but the original english one. In theory they were intended to show the Libertadores 2009 in HD, but no luck.

 

^^So is there a transmission right now of it in HD? I know the big leagues in spain are in HD over there, but not yet here..... apparently they are planning on showing alot of their games end of 2009-2010 in HD(fox sports). They said before they can get a HD channnel i believe they will show their HDgames on FX.

 

In South America there aren't i don't think there're anywhere. Another possibility could be Canal 13HD(Canal 13 only shows Libertadores matches of Boca), though it's uncertain when that channel will see the light, i think they're waiting to see if a new audiovisual communications law passes and what are the conditions to decide if they release it or not(Because if they decide to go HD they could be forced to make it FTA, however their plan is to release it on digital cables and DirecTV).

 

I wouldn't worry too much, we never amaze in the group stages but still manage the results.

 

Because all of our former players play for top clubs in Europe and are successful. Whereas other clubs have to bring them back cause they suck or are overrated while playing in Europe.

 

I have a question.

Why don't CONMEBOL change the Copa Libertadores to the 2nd half of the year? With that timeline, the reigning champion would not be dismantled to death for the CWC (the UEFA champion is almost always intact). Not to mention, it would be spring or summer in South America at that point.

And with that, the Copa Suramericana would be held in the first half of the year.

The Recopa Suramericana could be held between the end of the final of the Copa Libertadores and the CWC. It is kind of retarded to have it one year after the teams won the titles required to dispute the Recopa.

So it would be like this:

Copa Suramericana : February to early June

Copa Libertadores : August to early November

Recopa Suramericana : Middle of November

CWC : December

That way, the champion would go largely intact (and with the same level that they won the Copa Libertadores). Not to mention, if the team wishes to sell any players, they can get a higher transfer fee selling them with more titles.

BTW VAMOS PINCHA!!!

A GANAR LA TETRA!!!

 

There's a problem with that, it would finish too close to the CWC dates, plus with the lenght of the Libertadores it may be too tiring for the winning side. If any change is made to the schedule it should be to make it be played in a longer span then what it is right now(Beginning in August and finishing around the date it finishes right now). Also about teams being dismantled i don't much truth behind that like, even LDU Quito who was supposed a low budget team didn't really get "dismantled" in the end they barely lost one player, and in the final of the CWC it may have not made difference the other side was just better.

 

^^I disagree, i think guerron would have made a WORLD of difference, as he is their style c. ronaldo, or a winger who can out dribble, setup, pass, and score. But thats just me.

 

Bueno, aunque quiero ver a Estudiantes campeon, ultimamente solo me gustaria ver un grande en el Mundial de Clubes para traer el titulo devualta a America sea Estudiantes, Boca, Sao Paulo, o Nacional. River, Gremio, e Palmeiras...no se.

Pero no quiero ver equipos como Colo Colo, LDU, etc. en el mundial. LDU solo dio pena en el mundial anterior y un equipo Yugoslavo se cogio a Colo Colo.

Esta vez, se necesita un grande. La unica pregunta es...

¿Quien sera?

 

In my opinion Boca(which i am a fan of, which that game needed Roman) looked worst vs. Milan than LDU vs. Manchester in the last final....


But yes, we do need to bring that title back to south america, hopefully a strong team goes, that will stay intact, doesnt necessarily have to be a big team....