River Plate (Argentina) vs Alianza Lima (Peru)
River Plate secured their ticket to the Copa Libertadores’ round of 16 last Thursday, when beating Colo Colo 4-0 at home. Having accumulated 13 points from 15 on offer, the team have also clinched the first spot in group F. El Millonario succumbed to a single defeat across their last seven competitive matches (winning four and drawing two): it was 2-1 to Tigre at home in the Copa Liga Profesional quarter-finals. In fact, it was their only loss in the last six at Estadio Monumental, along with four victories and one stalemate.
Meanwhile, Alianza Lima have nothing to play for in the Copa Libertadores following their 2-0 home defeat to Fortaleza EC last Wednesday. El Intimo managed a single point in five matches in this competition and will end up bottom in group F anyway. On Sunday, they secured a 3-0 away success at Deportivo Municipal to make it four victories across the last six matches in all competitions, drawing one and losing one. Alianza are fourth-placed in the Peruvian league table with 26 points, five behind leaders Melgar but they hold a game in hand. On away turf, Carlos Bustos’ men won four of the last five, losing only once.
Even though River has already secured the first place, I don’t expect them to have any mercy against this very poor Alianza Lima that has lost their last 28 away games in Copa Libertadores, so even though the handicap is big, I don’t think they will have a problem to beat it.