The Copa Sudamericana resumes on Tuesday with a fascinating encounter between Chilean outfit Huachipato and Argentine giants Racing Club at the Estadio Sausalito. While Racing Club cruised through the group stages, Huachipato had to overcome a stern test against Racing de Montevideo in a penalty shootout after exiting the Copa Libertadores in the group stage.
A Battle Hardened Huachipato
Huachipato faced a gruelling playoff tie against Racing de Montevideo, overturning a first-leg deficit to secure a dramatic penalty shootout victory. After a 3-2 defeat in the first leg in Chile, Cris Martinez's ninth-minute goal in the second leg at the Centenario Stadium secured a 1-0 victory and forced a penalty shootout, where Huachipato emerged triumphant 3-0.
The playoff victory was a crucial boost for Huachipato, who endured a disappointing Copa Libertadores campaign. Despite finishing third in Group C, they missed out on a place in the knockout stages, two points behind runners-up Gremio.
Back in the Primera Division, Igor Oca's side has struggled for consistency, currently languishing in 15th place, just two points above bottom-placed Union. Huachipato entered Tuesday's match on the back of a goalless draw against Cobresal at the Estadio Sausalito, extending their winless run in the league to four games.
Racing Club: A Force to Be Reckoned With
Racing Club enjoyed a dominant Copa Sudamericana group stage campaign, winning five out of their six matches to top Group H with an impressive 15 points from a possible 18, the highest tally of all 32 teams. Their only defeat came against Brazilian side Bragantino, who secured a 2-1 victory thanks to a brace from Thiago Borbas.
Racing Club kept a clean sheet on four occasions during the group stages and scored 15 goals in their six matches, showcasing their attacking prowess. Only Athletico Paranaense (17), Independiente Medellin (16) and Fortaleza (15) managed to score more goals in the group stage.
Gustavo Costas's men enter the game following a disappointing 1-0 loss against Gimnasia, which ended their run of four consecutive home wins in the Argentine Primera Division. Despite the defeat, Racing has enjoyed a solid start to the new league campaign, currently sitting sixth in the table with 17 points from 10 matches, just three points behind the top spot.
Team News
Huachipato enters the game with a clean bill of health and no suspension concerns, allowing Oca the luxury of a full-strength squad to choose from. A similar lineup to the one that drew against Cobresal is expected, with Maximiliano Gutierrez, Benjamin Gazzolo, Imanol Gonzalez and Antonio Castillo likely to form the back four, with Fabian Cerda starting in goal. Claudio Sepulveda and Jeisson Vargas are expected to partner in midfield, while the front three should consist of Mario Briceno, Maximiliano Rodriguez and Cris Martinez, who has been in prolific form with four goals in his last four matches.
Racing Club, however, faces a few key absences. Experienced defender Agustin Garcia is set to miss his sixth consecutive game due to an injury sustained in June's game against Lanus. Juan Nardoni, who missed the game against Gimnasia on Saturday due to a sprained ankle, is also ruled out.
Adrian Martinez, who has scored six goals in the Copa Sudamericana this season, is available despite receiving a red card against Gimnasia at the weekend and is likely to lead the visitors' attack once again.
Predicted Lineups:
Huachipato: Cerda; Gutierrez, Gazzolo, Gonzalez, Castillo, Sepulveda, Vargas, Montes; Briceno, Rodriguez, Martinez.
Racing Club: Arias; Di Cesare, Sosa, Quiros; Martirena, Zuculini, Barrios, Elordi; Solari, R Martinez, A Martinez.
A Tight Encounter
Both Huachipato and Racing Club have struggled for consistency in recent weeks and will be seeking a vital victory in the first leg. While Racing Club boasts a stronger squad on paper, Huachipato's resilience and determination could make this a close encounter. We predict a narrow victory for Racing Club, capitalising on their superior attacking prowess.