Carrillo, Pato shine as Estudiantes and Sao Paulo win
Guido Carrillo netted a hat-trick to help four-time Copa Libertadores winners Estudiantes begin their Group 7 campaign in style with a 3-0 victory over Ecuadorian side Barcelona on Wednesday.
The Argentinians never looked back after Carrillo opening the scoring in the 16th minute, netting the rebound when Barcelona goalkeeper Maximo Banguera spilled Israel Damonte's shot.
Twenty minutes later, Carrillo headed home a Juan Sanchez Mino cross and he completed his hat-trick and Estudiantes' triumph in the 74th minute.
"This is double happiness to me because of the three goals and the victory. It motivates us a lot to keep working hard," Carrillo told Fox Sports.
Alexandre Pato's brace put Brazilian giants Sao Paulo on their way to a 4-0 thrashing of Danubio in Group 2.
The former AC Milan forward bagged the opener after four minutes and then struck shortly before half-time and their Uruguayan opponents were staring defeat firmly in the face when Reinaldo added a third midway through the second half.
Substitute Jonathan Cafu completed the rout in the closing stages, just two minutes after coming off the bench, as Sao Paulo put their defeat to fellow Brazilian side Corinthians last time out firmly behind them.
In Group 1, Mexican side Atlas claimed an important 1-0 away win over Atletico Mineiro of Brazil, thanks to an 86th-minute goal by Christian Suarez.
Finally in Group 3, hosts Universitario of Bolivia and Cruzeiro played out a goalless draw, with the Brazilian visitors playing the final six minutes with 10 men after Cameroon striker Diederrick Joel was sent off, five minutes after being introduced off the bench.