River Plate will face bitter rivals Boca Juniors in a rematch of last season s Copa Libertadores decider after the defending champions overcame Cerro Porteno in the quarter-finals.
Thursday s 1-1 draw away to Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno was enough for River to reach the semi-finals 3-1 on aggregate.
River – seeking back-to-back titles – carried a 2-0 lead into the second leg thanks to goals from Ignacio Fernandez and Rafael Borre in Buenos Aires.
Cerro Porteno sparked hope of a comeback in the eighth minute when former Borussia Dortmund forward Nelson Valdez put the home side ahead on the night.
Full Time! It finishes 1-1 in Asunción between , enough for River to take the final semifinal spot!
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@TheLibertadores)
Valdez – a 77-time Paraguay international – glanced a header past River goalkeeper Franco Armani.
But Cerro Porteno s hopes were dashed when River midfielder Nicolas De La Cruz scored seven minutes into the second half with a ferocious volley.
River will now go head-to-head with Boca in a blockbuster all-Argentinian Libertadores semi-final.
They meet again. will face off in October in the semifinals!
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@TheLibertadores)
It comes after River claimed the 2018 trophy with a 5-3 aggregate win over Boca in their controversial two-legged showdown.
The second leg had to be rearranged and moved to Real Madrid s Santiago Bernabeu in December after the match was twice suspended in November due to an attack on Boca s team bus by supporters.
