BRAZILIAN Fluminense HAMMER Arsenal 6-0 in RIO de Janeiro

Brazil's Fluminense routed Argentina's Arsenal 6-0 on Wednesday to move into first place in Group 8 of the Copa Libertadores.

Striker Dodo scored a pair of goals and set up two more in the Rio club's victory, on a day when Brazil forward Adriano scored both of Sao Paulo's goals in a 2-1 comeback win over Chile's Audax Italiano, and Argentina's Estudiantes came from a goal and a man down to record a valuable 2-1 away win over Uruguay's Danubio.




Fluminense has four points and tops Group 8, ahead of Ecuador's LDU Quito on goal difference. Arsenal is a point behind the leaders, with Paraguay's Libertad pointless after two games.

It was a triumphant return to the Maracana stadium for Fluminense, which hadn't played a Libertadores game in the temple of Brazilian soccer since 1985, a year after its only Brazilian national title.

Thiago Neves opened the scoring in the 14th minute, sending a free kick from the right side into the far corner of the net.

Junior Cesar centered from the left byline 10 minutes later, and Dodo leapt in the penalty area to fire a shot into the right corner.

In the final minute of the half, Dodo dribbled through the Arsenal defense and passed to Gabriel streaking in from the right. The wing back chipped the ball over Arsenal goalkeeper Mario Cuenca to send his team to the break with a 3-0 lead.

Dodo got a spectacular second in the 51st minute, volleying a Neves cross into the upper corner.

Striker Washington got on the board after 71 minutes, taking a through pass from Dodo and tapping the ball past Cuenca, and substitute midfielder Cicero completed the rout 5 minutes from time when he curved a free kick around the wall.

In Sao Paulo, Adriano -- currently on goal from Italian league leader Internazionale -- scored a pair of goals as Sao Paulo rallied past Audax to claim top spot in Group 7.

The win gave Sao Paulo 4 points, one more than Paraguay's Sportivo Luqueno. Colombia's Atletico Nacional has 1, and Audax none.

The game was unexpectedly tough for Sao Paulo, a three-time Copa Libertadores champion.

Playing at its Morumbi stadium, Sao Paulo dominated from the start but had trouble penetrating the stubborn Audax defense.

Audax struck first in the 62nd minute when striker Carlos Villaneuva raced through the middle, shook off a defender and fired into the right corner of the net.

But Adriano tied it in the 74th minute, outleaping defenders and firing a header into the left corner.

Six minutes from fulltime, Audax keeper Mario Villasanti couldn't hold a shot, and Adriano raced in to tap in the winner.

In Montevideo, ten-man Estudiantes downed Danubio to move to the joint lead of Group 2.

Estudiantes climbed to four points to join fellow Argentines Lanus and Deportivo Cuenca of Ecuador atop the table. Both Lanus and Cuenca have played one game less. Danubio lags last with just one point.

Pedro Irala headed in a corner kick to put Danubio ahead in the ninth minute. Sixteen minutes later, Danubio's winning chances increased further when Estudiantes defender Agustin Alayes was expelled for rough play.

But veteran former international midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron scored Estudiantes' equalizer with a penalty in the 60th minute and then set up Enzo Perez for the winner with three minutes remaining.

Fluminense, who drew 0-0 away to Liga de Quito in their group opener, seemed to be inspired by the 35,000 home crowd, and went ahead as early as in the 13th minute, with a brilliantly placed Thiago Neves free kick.

The Brazilians continued to press, and doubled their lead in the 24th minute with an outstanding volleyed effort from Dodo.

Arsenal, who won the Copa Sudamericana last year, had no answer to Fluminense's explosive runs down the flanks, and the Brazilians went three goals up in the 44th minute with a goal from Gabriel.

After the break it was much of the same, as the Rio de Janeiro-based side, completely dominated their lacklustre opponents, who had expected a much more evenly matched contest.

Five minutes into the second half Dodo added his second of the night and Flu's fourth, with this time an even more spectacular long distanced volleyed effort.

In the 71st minute Washington finally got himself on the score sheet, when he beat Mario Cuenca with a well placed shot from close range.

While substitute Cicero completed the sensational rout, with Fluminense's sixth goal, five minutes from full time.

Category:

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• fla
• maracana
• rio
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• janeiro
• brasil
• brazil
• brazillian
• brazilian
• soccer
• futebol
• futbol
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• calcio
• shameful

[rberthone]

Ficou barato 6 x 0

FFC

[rberthone]

um dos melhores jogo que ja vi no maracana, nao dava nem tempo de comemorar tanto!!!! so o flu atacava!

[davizin1]

futebol da mais alta classe foi o que o flu jogou nessa libertadores.

mereceu ter ganhado.

[xitsKittox]

@thisdude7 both these teams got rocked lol

[andinhoss1]

La fiesta de flu en el Maracaná frente Arsenal

Muy bien ... Para que sepan los argentinos que acá en Rio de Janeiro en nuestra cancha es bravooooooo .... Sobretodo frente a FLU y con este fútbol de mierda que jugaron acá saliron re bien porque iba a llevar mucho mass que 6 goles

Hehehehe

Fluzaooooooo seus merdasssss

[CabraLcgRj]

FLUZÃO *--*

[youngflunj]

Fluminense is the best team in Rio De Janeiro.. Its number 52 in all around the world and about to make one of the best teams ever seen in Brazil.

Fluminense 2010

[sandroflu]

pega o facom dalhhe fluzom

[HannahGondiim]

Fluminense is the best brazilian soccer team and everybody knows that.

[Paulo6600]

Congratulations Flumerdense!!!Pineapple Trophy!!!

[imortalenergia]

@thisdude7 true!! But this team is almost in second division in Brasil, then, don't forget this South American second division cup has a realy low level ...

Even Liga de Quito was eliminated in first round of LIBERTADORES.

[thisdude7]

i remember this team they got rocked by LIGA DE QUITO!!!!