Copa Libertadores Review: Boca through, River beaten

Boca Juniors moved into the last 16 of the Copa Libertadores thanks to a 1-0 victory at Racing Club on Wednesday.

Nicolas Lodeiro scored the game’s only goal in the 84th minute after a scrappy move, securing Boca’s win in Group 3.

They top the group by a point from Racing Club but cannot be caught, with Bolivar and Deportivo Cali the bottom two.

River Plate missed their chance to seal their place in the next round after a 2-1 loss at Sao Paulo.

Jonathan Calleri opened the scoring for the hosts from a Ganso cross in the 28th minute before heading in a Michel Bastos set-piece on the hour-mark.

Things got tougher for River as Leonel Vangioni saw red, but they got a way back into the match when Ivan Alonso headed in with seven minutes remaining.

Sao Paulo were also reduced to 10 as Joao Schmidt was sent off, but they managed to hold on.

River top the group but the Brazilian outfit are alongside them on eight points, one clear of The Strongest.

Gremio sealed their spot in the last 16 thanks to a 3-2 win over LDU Quito in Group 6, while Cobresal claimed their first win in Group 8 by overcoming Cerro Porteno 2-0.

Pumas UNAM and Deportivo Tachira had already progressed from Group 7 and the former had Fidel Martinez score a brace in a 3-2 win at Emelec.

Deportivo went down to Olimpia 4-0.