BUENOS AIRES, June 13 (Reuters/Yahoo) - Midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme scored from 30 metres to help Boca Juniors beat Gremio 3-0 in the first leg of the South American Libertadores Cup final on Wednesday.

Rodrigo Palacio put the Argentines in front from what appeared to be an offside position and Gremio finished with 10 men after Sandro Goiano was sent off. Pablo Ledesma added a third goal late in the game.

The match kicked off 14 minutes late as the pitch was cleared of some of the paper thrown from the terraces during the so-called ticker tape reception when the teams came on to the field.

The Brazilian visitors, twice former Libertadores champions, made a confident start as they took the game to their opponents.

But five-times champions Boca went ahead in the 18th minute as Riquelme floated over a free kick to the far post, Martin Palermo headed back across goal and Palacio tapped in as the Gremio defence appealed for offside.

Television replays suggested that Palermo and Palacio were both offside when the ball was played.

Palacio had a close-range effort cleared off the line by Teco after Boca had sliced through the Gremio defence in the 52nd minute.

The same player slid the ball wide at the far post following another Riquelme free kick one minute later.

Gremio midfielder Sandro Goiano, who feuded with Riquelme throughout, was sent off in the 59th minute for kicking Ever Banega in the stomach.

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BUENOS AIRES, June 12 (Reuters/Yahoo) - Playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme will hold the key as Boca Juniors attempt to unlock Gremio's defence in the first leg of the Libertadores Cup final at the Bombonera on Wednesday.

Last year Riquelme played a major role in leading unfashionable Spanish club Villarreal to the Champions League semi-finals, where they lost to Arsenal.

After falling out with Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini, Riquelme has returned to Boca on loan and again been the main figure in taking them to the final of the Champions League's South American equivalent.

Riquelme produced a brilliant display as Boca won 2-0 away to Paraguayan champions Libertad in the second leg of their quarter-final, having been held 1-1 at home.

He also scored the first goal as they beat Colombian surprise package Cucuta 3-0 in their semi-final second leg last week, overturning a 3-1 deficit from the first game.

Boca, beaten by Colombian provincial side Once Caldas in their last appearance in the final three years ago, have won five Libertadores Cup titles and another would put them one behind record-holders Independiente.

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LA PAZ (AFP/Yahoo) - The presidents of Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela on Wednesday joined their Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales in demanding that FIFA reverse a ban on high-altitude stadiums being used for international matches.

World football's governing body on Sunday introduced the new ruling banning matches at more than 2,500m above sea level, citing its wish to better protect players' health.

The ruling has stirred up a storm in Latin America, led by Morales.

"This ban discriminates against the legitimate right of people to play football and ignores the principle of equality and universality inscribed in the Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations," Morales said Tuesday.

And Wednesday he said that Argentina head Nestor Kirchner, Uruguay's president Tabare Vazquez and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez all supported his stance.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has no intention of submitting to the protests, though.

"I know that there will be complaints, especially in South America, but we have to think about the health of players," he said. "And also at the distortion of competition if matches are played at those altitudes (above 2,500m)."

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RIO DE JANEIRO, May 30 (Reuters/Yahoo) - Gremio muscled their way to a 2-0 home win over Santos on Wednesday in the first leg of an all-Brazilian Libertadores Cup semi-final.

Both teams have won South America's most prestigious tournament twice, but Gremio looked the hungrier for a third success.

Gremio, roared on by a capacity 42,000 crown in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, almost fell behind in the sixth minute when Marcos Aurelio's well-struck shot was palmed away by goalkeeper Diego Saja.

The home team were denied a penalty when Alessandro appeared to handle the ball in the area, but they were awarded a spot kick in the 34th minute when Santos defender Avalos tangled with Diego Souza. The penalty was converted by Czecko.

Gremio's gifted left-winger Carlos Eduardo soon added a second, seizing on a defensive blunder by Adailton before slotting the ball past goalkeeper Fabio Costa.

Santos were unbeaten in 12 games coming into the match but their hosts have only lost four times at home in the Libertadores Cup.

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