U. Catolica vs Libertad Prediction: Libertad have a huge advantage

U. Catolica will have a mountain to climb if they want to qualify for the next round of the Copa Sudamericana. In the first match in Paraguay Libertad showed strength and character and won 2:0 with the goals scored in the second half. U. Catolica will have the advantage of home field and support from the stands, but they must score at least 2 goals. The winner of this match will face Ameliano in the 1/8 finals.

Form: LWLLL

U. Catolica are in good form when playing at home, with 3 wins and a draw in the last 4 matches but they are struggling to score goals in this competition as they haven’t scored in 4 games in a row. They finished 2nd in group B with 3 wins, a draw, and a defeat, but they haven’t advanced to the next phase after losing the first match since 2019. Celico’s side will be under huge pressure but the good news for him and the fans is that all players are ready for this encounter.

Form: WWWWW

Libertad on the other hand has much better stats in the Copa Sudamericana. They were knocked out before the 1/8 finals in 2017 and ever since then, they have reached at least that phase. They are playing in excellent form recently, with 7 wins and a draw in their last 8 matches in all competitions. However, they have failed to win against the Ecuadorian team in Ecuador in the last 3 matches. In this match, their manager Galeano will certainly make changes in the formation and the lineup as they will approach more defensively in this hot away match.

Playing at home is a huge advantage for U.Catolica. They can be even happy that they are only 2 goals behind after the terrible performances in the first match, as Libertad could easily score 2 more goals if they were calmer in the attack. In this match I expect the hosts to take control of the game, and to show their other face, to attack and create many chances. It will be difficult to break Libertad, who are playing in great form and with huge confidence, but I expect U. Catolica to win the match and score at least 2 goals.