Colon (Argentina) vs Cerro Porteño (Paraguay)
Colon had to settle for a controversial scoreless away draw at Olimpia in Paraguay last Thursday, when the team had two goals disallowed by mistake. However with four points in three rounds, El Sabalero remain second-placed in group G, one above Penarol. On Saturday, coach Julio Falcioni fielded a completely alternative XI that ended up losing 2-0 away at Sarandi Arsenal, which left them out of the fight for a ticket to the playoffs in the Argentine league: the side accumulated 16 points in 13 games so far. Colon are on seven matches without a win in all competitions, drawing five and losing two. They lost only one of their last eight home matches, winning four and drawing three so far.
Meanwhile, Cerro Porteno took a big step towards the round of 16 by beating Penarol 1-0 at home thanks to a goal from Angel Cardozo Lucena in the first half: they are leaders in group G on seven points, opening a four-point gap over their last opponents, who sit in third. On Saturday, with a mostly alternative XI, El Ciclon also beat Nacional 1-0 as hosts to remain second-placed in the Paraguayan Torneo Apertura on 31 points in 13 games, one behind table toppers Libertad. Cerro are on three wins in a row in all competitions and they succumbed to a single defeat across the last seven away games, winning four and drawing two.
I still don’t like this Colon without their biggest star Luis Rodriguez, and I think they will struggle at home against a tough Cerro Porteño.