Independiente – Rosario Central
Independiente were finally able to secure their first success under recently-appointed coach Julio Vaccari. Last Sunday, they won 2-0 away at Estudiantes with Kevin Lomonaco and Gabriel Avalos scoring. El Rojo stopped a four-match winless streak of two stalemates and two defeats in league action to make it 11 points in ten Liga Profesional games, which leaves them just four points behind the last Copa Sudamericana berth in the aggregate table. Independiente won two and lost one of their last nine home matches, along with six draws. Santiago Lopez reached the yellow-card limit and is suspended. Winger Alex Luna returns from his ban.
Rosario Central fans will have felt delighted as their team were able to win the city derby again. Their 1-0 home success over arch-rivals Newell’s Old Boys (thanks to a strike from Facundo Mallo in the 83rd minute) means El Canalla made it two consecutive victories in the Liga Profesional under interim coach Matias Lequi and made it 15 points in the Liga Profesional to keep their hope alive to fight for a continental tickets in the remaining rounds. Central lost only one of their last four away games in this competition, winning two and drawing one in that spell. On Wednesday 14, Central drew 1-1 at home against Brazil’s Fortaleza EC in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16. Captain Marco Ruben succumbed to a muscle injury and will miss out on Saturday.
After winning the derby vs Newell’s last weekend and the draw at home in Copa Sudamericana, Rosario Central is expected to use a lineup full of reserves here because they have a midweek trip to Brazil to play the return leg. Independiente comes from a good win at Estudiantes, mood is better and winger Alex Luna will be back in the starting lineup so I’ll trust the hosts to take the 3 points.