Deportivo Tachira , Defensor Sporting and Boyaca Chico made important first steps toward qualification for the knock out rounds of the Copa Libertadores with wins in the opening round of the group stage Tuesday.
Venezuelan champions Deportivo Tachira provided the shock result of the day after coming from behind to beat Paraguay's Guarani 2-1 in Asuncion.
Pedro Chavez scored with a volley in the 38th minute to put Guarani in front in the Group 2 fixture, but the Venezuelans hit back with an equalizer from captain Gerzon Chacon just three minutes later.
Tachira denied the Paraguayan side a crucial home win when Perez Greco sliced through the Guarani defense to slide home the winner in the 80th minute.
Tachira's victory seals a satisfying few days for Venezuelan football, after the Under-20 national side sealed the country's first qualification for a World Cup at any level after finishing fourth in the South American youth championship on Sunday.
The days most impressive performance came from Colombian side Boyaca Chico, who overcame Bolivia's Aurora with a comprehensive 3-0 away win in Cochabamba.
Two long distance strikes by Colombian striker Anthony Tapia proved the difference between the two Group 7 sides, despite Aurora's Argentine goalkeeper Silvio Dulcich producing a series of first half saves to keep the Bolivians in the hunt.
Dulcich could do nothing about Tapia's 45th minute free-kick to break the deadlock, however, and the second goal _ a 35-meter drive from open play in the 80th minute _ finally broke the Bolivian's resistance.
Aurora's Ivan Huayhuata was sent off two minutes later for violent conduct and Juan Mahecha rubbed salt in the wound with a stoppage time third goal for the Colombian visitors.
The four-team Group 7 also features Brazil's Gremio, who kick off against Universidad de Chile in Group 7's next fixture on Feb. 25.
Uruguayan champions Defensor Sporting also got off to a good start in Group 4 with a 1-0 home victory over Colombia's America de Cali in Montevideo.
A well-balanced match, played for the most part under torrential rain, was settled by a downward header from defender Pablo Gaglianone in the 38th minute following a Diego de Souza free-kick.
America pushed forward in the second half in search of an equalizer, but the Uruguayan defense held firm, with Defensor goalkeeper Martin Silva making a crucial save in the 59th minute to deny striker Adrian Ramos.
The other clubs in Group Four, Brazilian league-winners Sao Paulo and Colombia's Independiente Medellin, will face off in Brazil on Feb. 18 in the group's second fixture.
The Copa Libertadores continues with a further three matches Wednesday featuring two clashes between Argentine and Mexican opposition in Buenos Aires.
Lanus host Chivas of Guadalajara in Group 6, while in Group 8, San Lorenzo hosts San Luis and Peruvian club Universitario visits Libertad of Paraguay.
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