Bahia blank Cerro in Copa Sudamericana tie

Salvador (Brazil) : Bahia beat Uruguay's Atletico Cerro 2-0 here in the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana second-round tie.

Neither team was especially impressive on Wednesday night at Salvador's Roberto Santos Stadium, where police had to break up brawls in the stands between Brazilian and Uruguayan fans, reports EFE news agency.

Gilberto opened the scoring with a header off a corner kick in the 53rd minute and Regis converted a penalty 20 minutes later to seal the outcome of a match characterized by constant interruptions.

Bahia would have got a third goal if Ze Rafael hadn't faltered on a penalty in the 78th minute.

Spectators saw more fouls than shots on goal during the first half, which included the referee sending Cerro coach Fernando Correa to the stands in the 20th minute, and fans booed and whistled Bahia off the pitch at the break.

Bahia and Cerro will play the second leg on August 8 at Montevideo's Luis Trocoli Stadium.