Copa Libertadores 2010: Chivas Downed At Home After Internacional Comeback A fantastic performance by the Brazilians leaves them on the verge of Copa glory... By Daniel Edwards Porto Alegre's Internacional have one hand on the Copa Libertadores after a storming comeback win against Chivas in Guadalajara, in the Final first leg. Second half strikes from Giuliano and Bolivar in the space of five minutes sealed a 2-1 defeat of the Mexican side, who had looked in pole position after Adolfo Baptista's storming first half header. In truth the Mexicans were second best the entire evening, and Internacional thoroughly deserve the plaudits after a classic continental cup tie. Internacional showed no signs of being affected by their marathon journey to Guadalajara as they started in a positive and neat fashion, abandoning the cautious defence of their earlier Libertadores away matches to dominate the earlier exchanges. Inter were particularly potent down the flanks, with full backs Nei and the excellent Kleber giving their Mexican counterparts a torrid time out wide. After just five minutes the home side received a scare; Kleber fired in a cross-shot that clipped the outside of the post in just missing the outside boot of Alecsandro, although play was brought back for an offside. The first fifteen minutes was all Inter, with Chivas struggling to settle in front of a packed Estadio Chivas- their new stadium receiving the most high-profile of Libertadores baptisms. Chivas subsequently started to settle into their play and knocked the ball around fluently, but struggled to find an entrance against a dogged Colorado backline. The away side on the other hand continued to threaten out wide, and came within a whisker of scoring on the half hour when Taison was pulled down on the edge of the area. Alecsandro’s free kick was struck perfectly, but a relieved Luis Michel saw the ball hit the bar and bounce harmlessly out of play. The Mexicans did manage to test Renan for the first time shortly after, the Inter keeper reacting smartly to cut off Omar Bravo when the striker was played through behind the defence. The Colorado chances suffered a set back when striker and top scorer Alecsandro hobbled off injured to be replaced by Everton, but the Porto Alegre outfit continued looking the more dangerous team. With the last touch of the half however, Chivas struck in the most unexpected of fashions. The Mexican midfield combined smartly on the edge of the area to release Marco de la Mora, and his chipped pass found Adolfo Baptista. Taking advantage of a daydreaming Renan the midfielder looped a header in from outside the area, leaving the Inter keeper scrambling back in vain: 1-0 and advantage Chivas. Denied the chance for an instant response by the half-time whistle, Internacional looked deflated as they trudged off the field. On restarting however they continued to take the initiative, and Luis Michel was soon called back into action to fend off a decent strike from Giuliano. Chivas in turn started to place more bodies behind the ball, wary of the attacking potential their Brazilian rivals could unleash. The result was that for all their pressure chances remained few and far between for the Colorados; Andres D’Alessandro went close with a thundering 25 yard drive which just went wide. Inter finally found a way through with 15 minutes left, thanks to Libertadores goal machine Giuliano. Man of the match Kleber again rampaged down the left hand side and put in an inch-perfect cross, and the 20 year old met it perfectly to leave Michel no chance. Chivas barely had time to take a breath before finding themselves on the receiving end of another goal. D’Alessandro floated in a teasing centre, and club captain Bolivar got his head to it to send the visitors into raptures: 2-1 to the Colorados, and Chivas left staring at the abyss. Inter's win means Chivas will have to score at least two goals in the Beira Rio next week to have any chance of lifting the Copa- the Colorados meanwhile know that the Libertadores is now theirs to lose after a night which will go down as one of the greatest in club history. --

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