Gremio reach Libertadores Cup knockout stages



Brazilian club Gremio qualified for the Libertadores Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 home win over Atletico Junior of Colombia in Group Two on Thursday.

Junior, beaten for the first time after four wins, had already qualified and remain top of the group with 12 points, two more than Gremio, after five matches.

Gremio, who have won South America's premier club competition on two previous occasions, join Paraguay's Libertad, Brazil's Cruzeiro, Estudiantes of Argentina and Penarol of Uruguay, having also qualified.

Lucio put Gremio ahead just past the half-hour mark with a low shot from the left and striker Borges increased their lead after an hour when he backheeled a cross into the net from close range. Junior had defender Jaider Romero sent off in the 66th minute for a second booking.

Wilstermann, of Bolivia, picked up their first point after four defeats in Group Six with a 0-0 draw at home to Emelec.

Argentina's Velez Sarsfield drew 0-0 away to Universidad Catolica, of Chile, and will need to win their final Group Four match at Venezuelan leaders Caracas FC next week to reach the last 16.

Australia

Robbie Fowler has verbally accepted an offer to re-join Perth Glory for next season, although a contract is yet to be signed.

Glory have been in discussions with the former Liverpool and England striker, who turns 36 today, since December as he weighed up whether to spend one more season in the A-League or head back to the UK to further his coaching ambitions.

With the A-League on a break before the new campaign starts in October, Fowler has joined League One side MK Dons as part of Karl Robinson's backroom staff but has now given a strong indication that he will extend his playing career for a further year.

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months