LA PLATA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Agustin Rossi saved two spot-kicks as Brazil's Flamengo reached the Copa Libertadores semifinals with a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Argentine side Estudiantes on Thursday.
Trailing 2-1 after the quarterfinal first leg in Rio de Janeiro, Estudiantes drew level overall when Gaston Benedetti ran onto Santiago Nunez's pass and fired a powerful first-time shot into the roof of the net.
With the overall scores tied at 2-2 at the end of the allotted 90 minutes, the match advanced to a penalty shootout.
Benedetti went from hero to villain for the hosts as his tame spot kick was acrobatically saved by Rossi. The Argentine goalkeeper repeated the heroics by keeping out Ascacibar's attempt as Flamengo kept alive its hopes of a fourth Libertadores crown.
Jorginho, Luiz Araujo, Jorge Carrascal and Leo Pereira each converted their shootout attempts as Flamengo set up a clash in the last four with Argentina's Racing Club.
"Nothing is easy in the Copa Libertadores and tonight showed that," Rossi told reporters after the match in La Plata. "I think I was partly to blame for the goal that we conceded tonight but thankfully I was able to atone for my mistake in the penalty shootout."
In Thursday's other Copa Libertadores quarterfinal, Jeison Medina scored a first-half goal as LDU Quito clinched a 1-0 away win over Sao Paulo.
The result gave LDU Quito a 3-0 victory on aggregate and set up a semifinal clash against Palmeiras. ■
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