Huracan (Argentina) vs Sporting Cristal (Peru)
A penalty netted by Matias Coccaro allowed Huracan to beat CA Boston River 1-0 at home last week (and make it 1-0 on aggregate too) to reach this third stage in the Copa Libertadores. Last Sunday, coach Diego Dabove didn’t give any rest to his regulars and the team still had to settle for a 1-1 home draw against San Lorenzo at home in a heated derby. As a result, El Globo accumulated 12 points in six rounds in league action, one behind their last opponents and Defensa y Justicia, who are now leaders. Huracan remain unbeaten in all competitions in 2023, having won five and drawn four so far. At home, they haven’t lost any of the last 12, winning ten and drawing two (last defeat, 1-0 to Gimnasia LP in July).
Sporting Cristal showed an excellent recovery to complete a comeback in the Copa Libertadores’ second stage: last week, they beat Nacional Asuncion 5-1 as hosts after a 2-0 away defeat in the first game of the tie. Then on Saturday, a mostly alternative XI registered a scoreless home draw against AD Tarma, which means El Cervecero made it eight points in four rounds in the Peruvian Torneo Apertura, four behind leaders Deportivo Garcilaso. Cristal lost only one of their last six competitive games, winning three and drawing two, but they also are winless in the last three as visitors, with one stalemate and two losses since beating Alianza Atletico 2-0 in October.
I’m going with the UNDER again like last week, as I expect a closed game in this 1st leg.