By NESTOR F. SEBASTIAN

Copa Libertadores wrapped up another pulsating week of action and saw the elimination of defending champions Liga de Quito of Ecuador and Argentine giants River Plate while Ecuador's Cuenca obtained a historic win against Boca Juniors and Brazil's Sport Recife advanced to the Round of 16 in their very first Libertadores campaign.

With next week's final group-stage contests, there are still 11 teams contending for the remaining six spots available. Six of next week's 10 matches will determine the outcome of these tickets to the next round while the remaining four are rendered meaningless.

The 50th Libertadores tournament has been one of the most exciting in recent years and the general soccer fans that long for the UEFA Champions League year after year while placing South America's premier competition on the back burner are doing themselves a disservice. Hopefully, one day, Libertadores will be picked up on one of the increasingly-growing mainstream channels for all to witness.

Here's what happened in Libertadores this week:

GROUP 1

Brazil's Palmeiras ousted Liga de Quito 2-0 at home Tuesday, and with Sport Recife's 2-1 win over Chile's Colo Colo, doomed the Ecuadoreans, depriving Libertadores of the defending champs. Recife are through to the next round but still need at least a tie in Quito next week to finish top of the table, a task that few predicted with the other three reputable teams in their group. Colo Colo hosts Palmeiras next week in the a showdown of who goes on. Loser goes home while a tie would favor Colo Colo.

Here are the highlights:

GROUP 2

Deportivo Cuenca (9 pts) squeezed out a 1-0 win over a Boca Juniors side that were missing several stars, helping the Ecuadoreans to keep its aspirations alive. Amazingly, Cuenca could conceivably win the group next week if it blows out Paraguay's Guarani, who are already eliminated. But Boca (12 pts) could end that dream for Cuenca with at least a tie at home against Venezuela's Tachira (9 pts). The tables currently favor Cuenca to advance.

GROUP 3

Not only is the Argentine press having a field day today but the rest of South America are trying to figure out what happened to River Plate, who were demolished last night in Paraguay to Nacional, leaving the Argentines bottom of the group. River needed at least a tie to set up a showdown against Peru's San Martin next week but now face a meaningless match against the Peruvians, who no doubt should send the Nacional players and staff a crate of Pisco for their well-deserved win and helping the Peruvians advance. San Martin eeked out a 1-1 tie against group leaders Nacional of Uruguay earlier this week.

Here are the highlights:

GROUP 4

It may not look like it in the video but the thousands in attendance at the intimate 18,000-seat Estadio Luis Franzini in Uruguay were treated to a spectacle as its Defensor Sporting squad beat out Colombia's Independiente Medellin 4-3 with a goal scored by each team in injury time in a battle for a berth into the next round. Brazil's Sao Paulo finished top of the group.

Here are the highlights:

GROUP 5

Brazil's Cruzeiro finished top of the group after eliminating Ecuador's Deportivo Quito 2-0 at home Wednesday while Argentina's Estudiantes de la Plata also advanced with a 0-0 tie in Bolivia against Universitario de Sucre.

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Which matches did you think were the most exciting? Are you also surprised that Liga and River are out? What teams do you hope get paired up in the next round? Share your thoughts below.