Grêmio and Palmeiras scrape through into the last 16 of the Copa Sudamericana

Grêmio scraped into the last 16 of the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday night despite losing 3-2 to Coritiba away from home.

The Tricolor Gaucho won the first leg 1-0 in Porte Alegre at the beginning of the month thanks to a goal from André Lima.

But in the return leg, Coritiba got themselves back into the tie through Everton Ribeiro's 22nd minute strike.

The midfielder's goal, however, seemed to of kick-started Grêmio into life following a slow start, and just before half time, the Porte Alegre side levelled the score through Elano's converted penalty.

Coritiba, though, immediately came out fighting after the interval, and seven minutes in, Roberto volleyed the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1 to the hosts, before Pereira tripled their lead in the 66th minute.

However, right at the end of the game, Coritiba's dreams of winning the Copa Sudamericana for the first time in their history were dashed when former Wigan loanee Marcelo Moreno found the back of the net, which was the extra away goal Grêmio needed to go through.

The two-time Copa Libertadores champions will play either Chilean side Cobreloa or Barcelona of Ecuador in the last 16.

Meanwhile, in the other second round tie, Palmeiras beat Botafogo to a place in the last 16 despite losing 3-1 to the Rio de Janeiro side.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's men won the opening leg 2-0 in São Paulo at the start of the month thanks to a brace from Argentine striker Hernan Barcos.

But at the Engenhão, former AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf scored from close range in the 34th minute to give Botafogo hope, before Patrik had equalised on the stroke of half time.

The Alvinegro, though, refused to let their heads drop, and eleven minutes into the second half they got themselves back into the tie once again thanks to Renato's tidy finish.

Botafogo pressed on for a third and it eventually came in the 72nd minute when Nicolas Lodeiro guided home Lucas' cross.

However, the Uruguay international's strike proved to be no more than a mere consolation for the Carioca giants as Palmeiras held on to their away goal advantage.

The Verdão, who recently won the Copa do Brasil, will play either Venezuelan side Mineros de Guayana or Paraguayan giants Cero Porteño in the last 16.