Melgar, La Calera, General Caballero, Metropolitanos and Oriente Petrolero to group stage

Peruvian Melgar, Chilean Union La Calera, Paraguayan General Caballero, Metropolitanos de Venezuela and Oriente Petrolero de Bolivia advanced on Tuesday to the group stage of the 2022 South American Cup, eliminating rivals from their own countries.

General Caballero, the youngest of Paraguayan football, left the Sol de América on the way, which he beat this Tuesday 2-1 in Asunción after beating him in the first leg 3-0.

Just four years ago, General Caballero began competing in the Primera B (third category) and in 2020 he scored in the Intermedia (second division) to finally finish this year in the first.

The goals for Caballero (from Mallorquín, 260 km from Asunción) were scored by Argentine steering wheel Juan Heinze (6 minutes) and midfielder Elias Alfonso (58). The discount went to striker Nildo Viera, from penalty kick (9).

In Caracas, Metropolitanos crushed Estudiantes de Mérida 4-0, who had already beaten 2-0 a week ago.

Robinson Flores scored in the 35th minute Metropolitanos' first goal at the UCV Olympic Stadium, and Charlis Ortiz in 88, Marcel Guaramato, on own goal, in 90 and Néstor Cova in 90+2 completed the rout.

Oriente Petrolero, for its part, thrashed Royal Pari 3-0 with a double by Facundo Suárez at 65 and 84 minutes and a goal by Leandro Zazpe in the discounts (90+5) to advance with a 6-2 overall.

Unión La Calera and Melgar, for their part, had to strive to reach the group stage, against Ñublense and Cienciano, respectively.

In Viña del Mar, La Calera won 2-1 after equalizing goalless in the first leg.

Sebastian Sáez at 44 minutes and Simon Ramirez at 64 gave him the goals of victory. Nicolás Vargas discounted for Ñublense in the 90+4 minute from the penalty spot, after missing another in the 76th minute that could have led the definition to shots from the twelve steps.

Nor did Melgar have anything left over in his stronghold in Arequipa to eliminate the Cienciano. A lone goal by Bernardo Cuesta after 19 minutes was enough to win the first Peruvian ticket to the group stage.

The 16 qualifiers of this round will join in the South American group stage with the six representatives from Argentina and six from Brazil and the four teams eliminated from the third phase of the Copa Libertadores.

The first of these eliminated is Ecuador's Barcelona, who lost 5-4 in their guayaquil bastion on penalties to Brazilian debutant América Mineiro and was left out of the Libertadores.

The draw for the groups of both tournaments, Sudamericana and Libertadores, will be held on March 25 in Asunción.

The 2022 Copa Sudamericana final will be played on October 1 at the Mané Garrincha stadium, in Brasilia.

The South American champion will compete in the Copa Sudamericana-2023 against the winner of the Copa Libertadores-2022, and will win a place in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores-2023.

- Second leg matches of the first phase of the 2022 Copa Sudamericana, which will be played this week (in brackets the results of the first leg and in capital letters the qualifiers for the group stage):

- Tuesday:

In Caracas: METROPOLITANS (VEN) - Students of Mérido (VEN) 4-0 (2-0)

In Santa Cruz: EAST OIL (BOL) - Royal Park (BOL) 3-0 (3-2)

In Asunción: GENERAL CABALLERO (PAR) - Sol de America (PAR) 2-1 (3-0)

In Arequipa: MELGAR (PER) - Cienciano (PER) 1-0 (1-1)

In Viña del Mar: UNION LA CALERA (CHI) - Ñublense (CHI) 2-1 (0-0)

- Wednesday:

In Montevideo: River Plate (URU) - Liverpool (URU) (1-0)

In Quito: Quito League (ECU) - Mushuc Runa (2-0)

In Lima: Sport Boys (PER) - Ayacucho (0-2)

In Cali: America de Cali (COL) - Independent Medellin (COL) (1-2)

- Thursday:

In Santiago: Antofagasta (CHI) - Spanish Union (2-1)

In Asunción: Guaireña (PAR) - Nacional (PAR) (1-0)

In Caracas: Deportivo La Guaira (VEN) - Hermanos Colmenarez (VEN) (0-2)

In Montero: Guabirá (BOL) - Jorge Wilstermann (BOL) (0-4)

In Barranquilla: Junior (COL) - Equity (COL) (0-0)

In Guayaquil: October 9 (ECU) - Deflin (ECU) (1-1)

In Montevideo: Cerro Largo (URU) - Wanderers (URU) (1-2)

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