Copa Sudamericana: Santa Fe 1 Velez Sarsfield 1

A late goal from David Ramirez earned Velez Sarsfield a 1-1 draw at Santa Fe in the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana quarter-final.

The midfielder struck a quarter of an hour from the end at El Campin in Bogota on Tuesday as the Argentine champions took a vital step towards reaching the last four.

Velez Sarsfield went close to finding a winner towards the end, but would have been pleased to take a draw from their away leg in Colombia.

Veteran midfielder Gerardo Bedoya had given Santa Fe a 24th-minute lead when he struck with a free-kick.

But Ramirez equalised in the second half before 35-year-old Bedoya was sent off six minutes from time when he picked up a second yellow card, and his side hung on for a draw despite some late pressure from Velez Sarsfield.

Santa Fe will travel to Buenos Aires for the second leg on November 10.