Athletico Paranaense vs Peñarol: Will the Red and Black pair up with the Bulls?

Athletico Paranaense will face Peñarol in the South American Cup semi-final. The first leg of the encounter took place a week ago and saw the Brazilians win 2-1. Now, a home draw will be enough for the Red and Black to qualify for the final of South America’s second most important tournament.

Since their defeat by America on 11 September, Athletico Paranaense have played four official matches in three tournaments, all of which they have won. In the Brazilian Cup, the Red and Black were stronger than Santos. In Serie A, they beat Juventude and Gremio and, in the first leg of the semi-final of South America’s second-biggest tournament, Athletico Paranaense beat the Uruguayans. Note that should Athletico Paranaense make it to the final of the South American Cup, both trophies will be played exclusively by Brazilian clubs. Bragantino were the first finalist for the South American Cup yesterday.

To qualify for the South American Cup final in Curitiba, Peñarol need not just to win and score at least two goals. That suggests that the Uruguayans are coming to Brazilian soil to attack. Before the return leg, Peñarol had a rehearsal, beating Boston River 5-2 in the national championship. We do not doubt that Peñarol will try to turn the tide and reach the final, diluting the Brazilian trio.

The first leg between the Brazilians and the Uruguayans was a solid affair, and we hope the return leg will be a goal-scoring game. Peñarol have no choice but to take their chances and go on the attack, as the Uruguayans need to score at least two goals in Curitiba. For their part, Athletico Paranaense have finally found stability, with the home side regularly scoring two or more goals per encounter. So, we are looking forward to a good performance, not a Red and Black defeat. We propose the following odds: 1X+Total Over (1.5) for 1.88, Total Over (2.5) for 2.00, W1 for 2.31.