Riquelme inspires Boca win
BUENOS AIRES: Midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme scored from 30 yards to help Boca Juniors beat Gremio 3-0 in the first leg of the South American Libertadores Cup final on Wednesday.
Rodrigo Palacio put the Argentines in front from what appeared to be an offside position and Gremio finished with 10 men after Sandro Goiano was sent off. Pablo Ledesma added a third goal late in the game.
The match kicked off 14 minutes late as the pitch was cleared of some of the paper thrown from the terraces during the so-called ticker tape reception when the teams came on to the field.
The Brazilian visitors, twice former Libertadores champions, made a confident start as they took the game to their opponents.
But five-times champions Boca went ahead in the 18th minute as Riquelme floated over a free kick to the far post, Martin Palermo headed back across goal and Palacio tapped in as the Gremio defence appealed for offside.
Television replays suggested that Palermo and Palacio were both offside when the ball was played.
Palacio had a close-range effort cleared off the line by Teco after Boca had sliced through the Gremio defence in the 52nd minute.
The same player slid the ball wide at the far post following another Riquelme free kick one minute later.
Gremio midfielder Sandro Goiano, who feuded with Riquelme throughout, was sent off in the 59th minute for kicking Ever Banega in the stomach.
Riquelme, playing the last home game of his loan spell from Villareal, added the second in the 74th minute with a 30-yard shot which went through the Gremio wall after a free kick was tapped to him.
Gremio squandered an excellent chance in the 88th minute when Maurico Caranta failed to hold Lucas's shot and Diego Souza shot wide from the rebound.
One minute later, Pablo Ledesma added the third with a looping header which two Gremio defenders on the line failed to clear.
Agencies
(China Daily 06/15/2007 page24)
