MONTEVIDEO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Atletico Mineiro took a step towards a berth in the Copa Libertadores group stage by taking a 2-0 lead over Defensor Sporting in their qualifying playoff on Wednesday.

The Brazilian side opened the scoring in the first leg at Defensor's Luis Franzini Stadium by heading home from a Juan Cazares set piece in the 11th-minute.

Cazares struck his team's second goal when he nodded in after Patric Cabral's cross 13 minutes from time.

Atletico Mineiro - winners of the tournament in 2013 - will host the decisive second leg at their Independencia stadium in Belo Horizonte next Wednesday.

In Wednesday's other qualifying playoff first leg, Chilean side Palestino drew 2-2 at Talleres de Cordoba in Argentina.