Libertadores Soccer Cup Begins

Montevideo, Jan 24. -The games between Arsenal (Argentina) and Sport Huancayo (Peru), and El Nacional (Ecuador) and Libertad (Paraguay) on Tuesday will open the first qualifying round of the 53rd Santander Libertadores Soccer Cup, organized by the South American Soccer Confederation (CONMEBOL).On Wednesday, three more games are scheduled between Union Espanola (Chile) and Tigres (Mexico); Real Potosi (Bolivia) and Flamengo (Brazil), and Inter (Brazil) and Once Caldas (Colombia).

The first qualifying round will close on Thursday at the legendary Centenario Stadium in Uruguay, which was declared a World Soccer Historic Monument by FIFA, with a game between Peñarol (Uruguay) and Caracas (Venezuela).

According to the CONMEBOL schedule, the second leg will take place on January 31 and February 1-2, and those qualified will advance to the group stage, which will take place on February 7 and April 19.

The 2012 Libertadores Cup, the most important soccer club tournament in the Americas, will be attended by 38 teams from 11 countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The final event will take place on July 4. (Prensa Latina)