Sao Paulo will visit LDU Quito in the quarterfinal of the Copa Sudamericana. The hosts head into this one in the midst of an incredible 17-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, which is something that the visitors will be pushing to break down.
Preview (LDU Quito vs Sao Paulo)
LDU Quito is currently undefeated in 17 games, which has given the team a lot of confidence. The team is currently on quite the run of form in all tournaments. They will exercise caution, though, because when they played Nublense in their previous Copa Sudamericana game, the streak nearly came to a stop. LDU Quito actually lost the second leg of that match in the regular game, falling 3-2. They advanced on penalties because of the aggregate result.
However, Luis Zubeldia won’t want to see his club come so close to losing this time around. In order to avoid that, they’ll need to start off well in the first leg. If LDU Quito takes advantage of having the home advantage early, they will be able to establish the tone of the encounter. However, following two goalless draws in their previous two games, they will need to enhance their attacking play. The visitors’ most recent match saw them play to a scoreless stalemate with Botafogo. It highlights their defensive strength but highlights the need for more edge at the other end of the field.
Sao Paulo should be quite confident despite the outcome given that they advanced to the competition’s final last season. They ultimately failed to cross the finish line in that one. That defeat ought to motivate them to advance further this time. However, Dorival Junior’s team had to recover from a first-leg defeat in the previous round. They did it without much difficulty, it is not a situation they would like to find themselves in again. There is an additional strain because the away leg of those two games last time out was tough. They haven’t lost since and are unbeaten in all competitions since then.
Team News
Jhojan Julio is someone who could be expected to deliver more bite upfront from the Ecuadorians than they have recently been able to. The same back four is probably going to stay in their spots after keeping a clean sheet in their most recent game since it is equally crucial for LDU Quito to avoid being in an uphill battle for the second leg as well. The visitors may also consider continuing their defensive alignment from their most recent game after doing so well and demonstrating their defensive prowess.
Since agreeing to a two-year contract in the summer, James Rodriguez has been an important member of the club. His ability to attack from right behind the striker may be crucial in this situation. In this encounter, both teams will have powerful squads. Sao Paulo will undoubtedly be confident in their ability to create trouble away from home. But in what is expected to be a very close and cagey encounter, LDU Quito’s remarkable run of form right now will make them tough to break.
LDU Quito 1 – 1 Sao Paulo
For more football previews, click here
