The first phase of this year's South American Cup is almost over, and now the big teams get involved in America's most important fight
America's most important tournament of the year is slowly reaching its final stages. Argentina and Brazil's deadliest squads enter the competition on the second phase, in which the fight for the trophy will be relentless. Watch out for Barcelona vs Peñarol and Velez vs Banfield, hottest matches of the week.
Luis Cubilla's boys might have a test of fire at their own home, as the 2-0 defeat on Uruguayan ground had the team almost eliminated in a competition that does not show mercy for any team. The Paraguayan team is expecting a complete turn of events this Thursday at the Defensores del Chaco. Olimpia's defense should look after Sporting's top striker Rodrigo Mora, who was the scorer of the two goals against Olimpia. With a classic 4-4-2 formation, Juan Carlos Ferreyra and Luis Caballero's performance will be decisive, as an early goal might completely turn the tides in favor for the Paraguayans on this match. But the offense should be balanced, as a single goal scored against their own goal might turn qualification into nothing but a dream.
Defensor Sporting might be lacking the experience of other teams in this competition, but the healthy greed of the players should make up for this factor. It's been over one month since the Violetas defeated Olimpia in Uruguay, but the same eleven players are likely to pay a visit to Luis Cubilla and his squad. Sebastian Suarez is the only player whose presence is not yet confirmed, as he's still recovering from an injury. Team's top striker Rodrigo Mora scored another two goals on this week's match against Liverpool, and might surely be determinant to return home with a smile upon their faces.
Oriente Petrolero's visit to Chilean ground only two weeks ago was less suffered than expected, as the two goals scored playing away for the Bolivian squad force Universidad to defeat Oriente on this match to obtain a ticket for the next phase. Gerardo Pelusso's Universitarios travelers' luck was adverse for the first time this year, as the team was never beaten for the last Copa Libertadores playing away. The Chilean squad is fully fit and ready for this match, except for Chile's international Eugenio Mena, called to play for Chile's National Football Team on September 7th against Ukrania. Watch out for Felype Seymour, Carlos Bueno and Edson Pouch, Universitario's offensive leaders.
Bolivia's international Joselito Vaca is one of Oriente's most dangerous players, but team's Uruguay duo Danilo Peinado and Jorge Ramirez should also be carefully guarded by the Chileans. Team's most prolific striker Alcides Peña is struggling with an injury and his presence for the match is yet unconfirmed. Without him Oriente losses a lot of firepower, and Pelusso is likely to take advantage of this factor. Team's manager Gustavo Domingo Quinteros kept his best players from performing this week at Bolivia's Clausura, for he wants to focus all the forces on this clash for America's glory. The same starting eleven that returned from Chile with one point will receive the Universitarios. Diego Terrazas, Ariel Ribera and Fernando Saucedo will play the most important of roles, by stopping Universitario's ball flow and leading the ball towards their rival's area. Oscar Antelo will be the man between the posts, and his performance will probably be decisive for the Bolivian squad to advance to the next stage. Universitario might be the favorite, but the pressure of playing on foreign ground might crush the squad on this week's trip to Bolivia.
Guayaquil's Barcelona will have a busy schedule waiting ahead, as its rival this week has much more experience. Peñarol received major international attention only a few days ago, when Real Madrid's Mou team was presented in Montevideo, defeating the local team thanks to Angel Di Maria's sheer effectiveness. Mirasol's captain Antonio Pacheco looked pretty confident regarding this match, though he recognized their rivals will be much stronger in Ecuador that back in Montevideo. Current champions of the Uruguayan Primera Division, Manuel Keosseián confirmed a highly tactical formation to face the Ecuadorians, with Marcelo Sosa, Egidio Arévalo Ríos and Nicolás Domingo on the midfield and Alejandro Martinuccio, Fabián Estoyanoff and Antonio Pacheco leading the attack. Peñarol's debut match in the Sudamericana is highly expected by the crowds, and the advantage before receiving Barcelona back home would be worth a world for the Charruas.
Like its Spaniard brother, Barcelona has done an excellent work during the last season and will be looking forward to claim the last missing titles on its showcase. Former Boca's player Ricardo Noir has been the most decisive striker in the last matches, though much of his contribution to the team had much to do with Luis Bolaños' performance, who'll be missing this match with a muscular fatigue. Juan Manuel Llop will have to find a replacement for his main play maker, and the main candidates should be Mike Rodríguez or Luis Miguel Garcés. Last week's defeat against Manta lowered the spirit of the team, but the manager tried to cool the nerves of the players in a public conference. "We have to think on all the good things we've been doing and don't focus that much on a single game" were his words.
Guarani's victory 2-0 in Paraguay surprised everyone, as the Uruguayans Millonarios were expected to have more to say on their debut match for the South American cup. Jonathan Fabbro is looking forward to this visit to Montevideo, as this young Argentinean is the main engine of Guarani's creative machine. He scored the opening goal back home and will have a tough personal mark to deal with as River defenders have already seen him in action. Scoring a single goal will give Guarani a big advantage, as the Uruguayans would need at least four goals to secure their passage to the second phase. The Aurinegros are likely to adopt an offensive formation to have River between a rock and a hard place, the most vulnerable role to assume.
Eduardo del Capellan field of view should be rather narrow these last few days, as River's situation could hardly be more compromised. Defensor Sporting and Peñarol -the other two Uruguayan teams in the competition- are much more likely to lead Celeste's flag to the latter stages of the competition, but the Millonarios maintain the confidence, as they believe Montevideo could be a deadly trap for the Aurinegros. Federico Puppo, who scored on this week's match against Rampla Juniors, might have a shot within team's starting eleven, as River needs every possible point of attack sharpened to revert this adverse present situation. Standing at the fifth position in the Uruguayan league, a defeat would be a huge blow for the Darsena, whose performance in last year's Primera Division was far from satisfying.
Atletico Huila has everything in its favor for this week's visit to Venezuela, as the loose 4-1 victory on Colombian ground might have opened a gap too big for Trujillanos to close. Carlos Carbonero scored the opening goal on the 6th minute, but twelve minutes later the visiting team evened the score thanks to Ruben Garcia's goal. But the local team reacted fast, and before the first half was over the future of the match was settled with a two goal advantage for the Colombians. The team will have to do without its top striker Ivan Velazquez, who left last week's match for the domestic league injured. He scored the last goal of the first leg match, and his absence might weaken Atletico's offense. His replacement might be Carlos Villagra, who has just joined the team and earned a place in the traveling squad by scoring a goal in Colombia's first division last game. "We always go for the attack" were Atletico's coach Guillermo Berrio's words.
This should be a tough match for the local team, but the expectations are sky high. Much has changed since the last confrontation between the two squads, and this might only be tested at the José Alberto Pérez de Valera Stadium. Four important absences will take place for this match, as team's top striker Norman Cabrera joins Rolando “Kojak” Álvarez, Jan Barrios and Freddy Reyes in the list of compromised players. No match is lost before it begins, and the ticket for the next phase can only be claimed by ambushing Atletico on its trip to Venezuela.. would this be enough?
Two Argentineans monsters will face each other on one of the matches of this second phase of the Copa Sudamericana. Velez's last week defeat over Boca denied the Fortin the opportunity to secure the top, as the other candidate for the title -River Plate- opened a one-point gap from its followers. This match will be an additional flavor for Velez's top striker Santiago Silva, as the Uruguayan gunner was lend to Banfield two tournaments ago and he was one of the leaders of Julio Cesar Falcioni's Apertura winners. The last match between the two teams, four months ago, bored the crowds on a goalless draw. Velez's coach Ricardo Gareca will have to do without two creative leaders of its offense, as Matias Martines and Maximiliano Moralez will be unable to perform. Ricardo Alvarez and Jonathan Cristaldo are likely yo take over their position. Another surprise is the absence of Velez's main goalkeeper, German Montoya, who will be replaced by Marcelo Barovero for this match.
Banfield's manager Julio Cesar Falcioni has done an outstanding work by getting the team back on its knees after many years of mediocrity. Marcelo Carrusca, Walter Erviti, Victor Lopez and Marcelo Quinteros are the backbone of the team, and after over one year and a half of continuity in the starting squad the bridges between them have been solidly built. The only thing the Drill might be missing is the presence of an efficient striker, as Ruben Ramirez has not yet been able to recover its level and Sebastian Fernandez's departure to the Spanish league severely weakened Banfield's offensive creativity. The players are expecting a good result to receive Velez back home two weeks from now and claim their ticket for the next phase.
Luis Cubilla's boys might have a test of fire at their own home, as the 2-0 defeat on Uruguayan ground had the team almost eliminated in a competition that does not show mercy for any team. The Paraguayan team is expecting a complete turn of events this Thursday at the Defensores del Chaco. Olimpia's defense should look after Sporting's top striker Rodrigo Mora, who was the scorer of the two goals against Olimpia. With a classic 4-4-2 formation, Juan Carlos Ferreyra and Luis Caballero's performance will be decisive, as an early goal might completely turn the tides in favor for the Paraguayans on this match. But the offense should be balanced, as a single goal scored against their own goal might turn qualification into nothing but a dream.
Defensor Sporting might be lacking the experience of other teams in this competition, but the healthy greed of the players should make up for this factor. It's been over one month since the Violetas defeated Olimpia in Uruguay, but the same eleven players are likely to pay a visit to Luis Cubilla and his squad. Sebastian Suarez is the only player whose presence is not yet confirmed, as he's still recovering from an injury. Team's top striker Rodrigo Mora scored another two goals on this week's match against Liverpool, and might surely be determinant to return home with a smile upon their faces.
Oriente Petrolero's visit to Chilean ground only two weeks ago was less suffered than expected, as the two goals scored playing away for the Bolivian squad force Universidad to defeat Oriente on this match to obtain a ticket for the next phase. Gerardo Pelusso's Universitarios travelers' luck was adverse for the first time this year, as the team was never beaten for the last Copa Libertadores playing away. The Chilean squad is fully fit and ready for this match, except for Chile's international Eugenio Mena, called to play for Chile's National Football Team on September 7th against Ukrania. Watch out for Felype Seymour, Carlos Bueno and Edson Pouch, Universitario's offensive leaders.
Bolivia's international Joselito Vaca is one of Oriente's most dangerous players, but team's Uruguay duo Danilo Peinado and Jorge Ramirez should also be carefully guarded by the Chileans. Team's most prolific striker Alcides Peña is struggling with an injury and his presence for the match is yet unconfirmed. Without him Oriente losses a lot of firepower, and Pelusso is likely to take advantage of this factor. Team's manager Gustavo Domingo Quinteros kept his best players from performing this week at Bolivia's Clausura, for he wants to focus all the forces on this clash for America's glory. The same starting eleven that returned from Chile with one point will receive the Universitarios. Diego Terrazas, Ariel Ribera and Fernando Saucedo will play the most important of roles, by stopping Universitario's ball flow and leading the ball towards their rival's area. Oscar Antelo will be the man between the posts, and his performance will probably be decisive for the Bolivian squad to advance to the next stage. Universitario might be the favorite, but the pressure of playing on foreign ground might crush the squad on this week's trip to Bolivia.
Guayaquil's Barcelona will have a busy schedule waiting ahead, as its rival this week has much more experience. Peñarol received major international attention only a few days ago, when Real Madrid's Mou team was presented in Montevideo, defeating the local team thanks to Angel Di Maria's sheer effectiveness. Mirasol's captain Antonio Pacheco looked pretty confident regarding this match, though he recognized their rivals will be much stronger in Ecuador that back in Montevideo. Current champions of the Uruguayan Primera Division, Manuel Keosseián confirmed a highly tactical formation to face the Ecuadorians, with Marcelo Sosa, Egidio Arévalo Ríos and Nicolás Domingo on the midfield and Alejandro Martinuccio, Fabián Estoyanoff and Antonio Pacheco leading the attack. Peñarol's debut match in the Sudamericana is highly expected by the crowds, and the advantage before receiving Barcelona back home would be worth a world for the Charruas.
Like its Spaniard brother, Barcelona has done an excellent work during the last season and will be looking forward to claim the last missing titles on its showcase. Former Boca's player Ricardo Noir has been the most decisive striker in the last matches, though much of his contribution to the team had much to do with Luis Bolaños' performance, who'll be missing this match with a muscular fatigue. Juan Manuel Llop will have to find a replacement for his main play maker, and the main candidates should be Mike Rodríguez or Luis Miguel Garcés. Last week's defeat against Manta lowered the spirit of the team, but the manager tried to cool the nerves of the players in a public conference. "We have to think on all the good things we've been doing and don't focus that much on a single game" were his words.
Guarani's victory 2-0 in Paraguay surprised everyone, as the Uruguayans Millonarios were expected to have more to say on their debut match for the South American cup. Jonathan Fabbro is looking forward to this visit to Montevideo, as this young Argentinean is the main engine of Guarani's creative machine. He scored the opening goal back home and will have a tough personal mark to deal with as River defenders have already seen him in action. Scoring a single goal will give Guarani a big advantage, as the Uruguayans would need at least four goals to secure their passage to the second phase. The Aurinegros are likely to adopt an offensive formation to have River between a rock and a hard place, the most vulnerable role to assume.
Eduardo del Capellan field of view should be rather narrow these last few days, as River's situation could hardly be more compromised. Defensor Sporting and Peñarol -the other two Uruguayan teams in the competition- are much more likely to lead Celeste's flag to the latter stages of the competition, but the Millonarios maintain the confidence, as they believe Montevideo could be a deadly trap for the Aurinegros. Federico Puppo, who scored on this week's match against Rampla Juniors, might have a shot within team's starting eleven, as River needs every possible point of attack sharpened to revert this adverse present situation. Standing at the fifth position in the Uruguayan league, a defeat would be a huge blow for the Darsena, whose performance in last year's Primera Division was far from satisfying.
Atletico Huila has everything in its favor for this week's visit to Venezuela, as the loose 4-1 victory on Colombian ground might have opened a gap too big for Trujillanos to close. Carlos Carbonero scored the opening goal on the 6th minute, but twelve minutes later the visiting team evened the score thanks to Ruben Garcia's goal. But the local team reacted fast, and before the first half was over the future of the match was settled with a two goal advantage for the Colombians. The team will have to do without its top striker Ivan Velazquez, who left last week's match for the domestic league injured. He scored the last goal of the first leg match, and his absence might weaken Atletico's offense. His replacement might be Carlos Villagra, who has just joined the team and earned a place in the traveling squad by scoring a goal in Colombia's first division last game. "We always go for the attack" were Atletico's coach Guillermo Berrio's words.
This should be a tough match for the local team, but the expectations are sky high. Much has changed since the last confrontation between the two squads, and this might only be tested at the José Alberto Pérez de Valera Stadium. Four important absences will take place for this match, as team's top striker Norman Cabrera joins Rolando “Kojak” Álvarez, Jan Barrios and Freddy Reyes in the list of compromised players. No match is lost before it begins, and the ticket for the next phase can only be claimed by ambushing Atletico on its trip to Venezuela.. would this be enough?
Two Argentineans monsters will face each other on one of the matches of this second phase of the Copa Sudamericana. Velez's last week defeat over Boca denied the Fortin the opportunity to secure the top, as the other candidate for the title -River Plate- opened a one-point gap from its followers. This match will be an additional flavor for Velez's top striker Santiago Silva, as the Uruguayan gunner was lend to Banfield two tournaments ago and he was one of the leaders of Julio Cesar Falcioni's Apertura winners. The last match between the two teams, four months ago, bored the crowds on a goalless draw. Velez's coach Ricardo Gareca will have to do without two creative leaders of its offense, as Matias Martines and Maximiliano Moralez will be unable to perform. Ricardo Alvarez and Jonathan Cristaldo are likely yo take over their position. Another surprise is the absence of Velez's main goalkeeper, German Montoya, who will be replaced by Marcelo Barovero for this match.
Banfield's manager Julio Cesar Falcioni has done an outstanding work by getting the team back on its knees after many years of mediocrity. Marcelo Carrusca, Walter Erviti, Victor Lopez and Marcelo Quinteros are the backbone of the team, and after over one year and a half of continuity in the starting squad the bridges between them have been solidly built. The only thing the Drill might be missing is the presence of an efficient striker, as Ruben Ramirez has not yet been able to recover its level and Sebastian Fernandez's departure to the Spanish league severely weakened Banfield's offensive creativity. The players are expecting a good result to receive Velez back home two weeks from now and claim their ticket for the next phase.
