Having won the first leg 1-0, it means Santos progress 4-3 on aggregate, and can now look forward to a final against either Velez Sarsfield or Penarol in just under two weeks time. It also means there will be a side from Brazil in the final of South America’s premier club football tournament for the seventh season running.
The first leg had been a cagey and tense affair, but this game was anything but. Santos got off to the perfect start after only two minutes when Ze Eduardo headed in Elano’s free-kick delivery from close range. That made it 2-0 on aggregate, and Cerro Porteno faced a difficult uphill struggle.
They did themselves no favours when they gifted the visitors a second goal on the night just before the half hour. A long ball forward from the Santos defence saw Pedro Benitez running back towards his own goal under pressure from Neymar. Benitez tried to head the ball to his goalkeeper, Diego Barreto, but the latter could only fumble the ball into the net.
Cesar Benitez gave the home side a lifeline three minutes later as he leapt highest to head in a corner, but the irrepressible Neymar restored Santos’ comfortable lead in first half stoppage time, cutting in from the left hand side to fire an unstoppable shot past Barreto. Santos went in 3-1 up at the break and 4-1 on aggregate.
Cerro Porteno did not lie down, and managed to pull a goal back on the hour through Juan Manuel Lucero, who scored a powerful effort from the edge of the area after Santos failed to clear a cross. With half an hour remaining, the home side needed three goals to make the next round, and continued to press forward.
They were level nine minutes from time when Jonathan Fabbro danced skilfully past two Santos defenders and hit a stunning drive from 25 yards that gave goalkeeper Rafael no chance. It made for a nervy final few moments for Santos, who had first-leg scorer Edu Dracena sent off in injury time, but they held on to reach the final.
The second leg of the second semi-final takes place in Argentina tonight, as Velez look to overturn a 1-0 first leg defeat to Penarol of Uruguay. The winners of that tie will face Santos in the final, with the first leg on June 15 and the deciding game a week later in Brazil.
