Independiente start path to recover continental glory with a victory

Seven time winners of the South American Copa Libertadores, Independiente started with a victory their path to recover the title of 'Kings of America.' The Argentine team defeated Deportivo Quito from Ecuador 2-0 during the first leg of the Cup's preliminary round.

Independiente's Matías Defederico opened the score only 4' after the beginning of the second half of the game. Meanwhile, playmaker Patricio Rodríguez closed the deal in the minute 25 of the same half.

Known by its fans as “The National pride,” Independiente achieved a solid home result and will face next week’s rematch in the heights of Quito (2,850 masl), an always tough scenario for visitor teams.

The winner of this leg will be directed to Group 8 where Godoy Cruz (Argentina), Peñarol (Uruguay), and Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito (Ecuador) have already been grouped.

The “diablos’” coach, Antonio Mohamed, has set the Copa Libertadores as the main goal for the club this year. Anyway, the last Copa Sudamericana winners will also have to face some other international competitions such as the Recopa Sudamericana against Brazil’s Internacional de Porto Alegre (winner of last Libertadores), the Suruga Bank Cup against the Japan League winners Jubilo Iwata, and the 2011 edition of the Copa Sudamericana on the second semester.

Likewise, Mohamed’s boys shouldn’t take the focus away from the local league as the team is still threaten by the relegation phantom and its ridiculous average system that determines which teams get relegated to second division.

Lineups:

Independiente: Hilario Navarro; Eduardo Tuzzio, Carlos Matheu, Julián Velázquez; Nicolás Cabrera, Roberto Battión, Cristian Pellerano, Lucas Mareque; Matías Defederico; Facundo Parra, Andrés Silvera. DT: Antonio Mohamed.

Deportivo Quito: Marcelo Elizaga; Pedro Esterilla, Luis Checa, Isaac Mina, Mariano Mina; Segundo Castillo, Alex Bolaños, Luis Saritama, Juan Carlos Paredes; Michael Quiñónez; Maximiliano Bevacqua. DT: Fabián Bustos.

Referee: Heber Lópes (Brazil):  

Stadium: Libertadores de América (independiente)