The Brazilians Fortaleza and Athletico Paranaense prematurely taste this week the ticket to the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana in only the fourth of the six dates of the group stage.
Although the Sudamericana grants only one direct place per group for the round of 16, both teams from the regional giant will advance this week if their respective victories occur with some combinations.
Paranaense, one of the five clubs that has won this competition the most times with two titles, travels to Caracas where the weak Rayo Zuliano, who has not yet added, awaits them in Group E on Wednesday.
A far from miraculous victory for those from the south of Brazil (with a perfect harvest of 9 points) in addition to a tie between the Uruguayan Danubio and the Paraguayan Sportivo Ameliano, both with 4 points, will deposit the Brazilians without further formalities in the next phase.
Something similar happens with Fortaleza (9, also ideal score), although its commitment is much more challenging: the 4,000 meters high of the Bolivian city of Potosí (one of the highest in the world), where the local National awaits on Wednesday , bottom with one point in Group D.
In that key, the powerful Boca Juniors is in trouble, which with 4 points is on the ropes. The ‘xeneize’ may remain in intensive care, without a direct pass to the round of 16, if they do not win against the humble Sportivo Trinidense of Paraguay (3), debutants in international competitions.
The second in each bracket of this tournament will play a playoff with the third in the Copa Libertadores groups to access the round of 16 of the Sudamericana.
– Mouth on the ledge –
This year, Boca resigned its great obsession that has followed it since 2007 to win the seventh Libertadores title and become, together with Independiente, the most winners of the main club tournament in the region, but it is also having a hard time getting a foothold in the Sudamericana. in which he seeks his third coronation after adding laurels in 2004 and 2005.
Their complex present is crowned with the elimination in the semifinals of the Argentine League Cup at the hands of Estudiantes de La Plata, who on Sunday were crowned champions of said tournament.
– The Academy does the homework –
Racing Club is another of those that have managed to win the three games played so far in the Sudamericana, although an eventual pass to the round of 16 will not be guaranteed this week.
However, if they defeat their pursuer at home on Thursday, the Brazilian Red Bull Bragantino (6), they will be in a preferential position to advance to the next stage. Likewise, a draw in Brazil will not displease ‘the Academy’ at all.
In Group A, the Bolivian Always Ready (leader with 7 points) continues to surprise and awaits the Argentine Defensa y Justicia (4) to head their way to the round of 16.
Due to the strong floods in the south of Brazil, which have so far left 78 dead and 115,000 evacuees, Conmebol decided to suspend, without a new date yet, the Sudamericana match between Real Tomayapo and Internacional de Porto Alegre that was going to be played on Tuesday.
The Libertadores duel between Huachipato and Gremio, the other Porto Alegre club, was also postponed.
bur-ol/ma
