Lanus earned a valuable 2-0 victory on Thursday night to take a stride towards joining Group 3 in the Copa Libertadores. Two goals from the influential Paolo Goltz ensured the win and, provided they do not collapse next Thursday in La Fortaleza they will keep their Libertadores dreams alive.

Goltz headed Lanus in front midway through the first half and although the Venezuelan hosts threatened and crashed a shot against the crossbar it was Goltz that decided the match. Lauturo Acosta’s late surge into the box was halted unfairly and captain Goltz stepped up the smash the penalty home.

Should Lanus won the tie, as expected, they will join Paraguay’s Cerro Porteño, Chile’s O’Higgins and Colombia’s Deportivo Cali in Group 3.