Deportivo Cuenca vs Fluminense Predictions

Thursday’s Copa Sudamericana round of 16, first leg action sees Ecuadorians Deportivo Cuenca doing battle with Brazilians Fluminense. The hosts will be looking to make use of their high altitude, home advantage in order to open up an advantage ahead of the second leg.

There’s been quite a buzz around this fixture in Deportivo Cuenca ranks, with fans of the side not really accustomed to seeing the side this far in continental competition. Nonetheless, having played extremely well to see off decent opponents in the form of Paraguayans Sportivo Luqueno and Bolivians Jorge Wilstermann, El Rojo are at this stage on merit and will be desperate to make further waves by causing what would be a huge upset.

Cuenca started 2018 in horrendous fashion but have improved ever since Richard Páez came in as boss. Currently 7th in the closing phase of the Ecuadorian campaign, Cuenca are running along in solid, if unspectacular fashion but having lost just 1 of their last 10 home games, they’ll at least be confident of remaining in the tie come the second leg.

Meanwhile, given the disparity in resources available to themselves and their opponents, this is a tie Fluminense will feel they have to win. Tricolor made it to the quarter-final sage of the competition last year before being dumped out by city rivals Flamengo and having seen off Nacional Potosi and Defensor Sporting, they’ve performed well in the competition so far this year.

Nonetheless, with the match set to be played at a gruelling 2,500 metres above sea level, this first leg looks a potential banana skin for the Brazilians and their less than inspiring away record hardly has their prospects looking high coming into it. Overall, the visitors have won just 3 of their last 18 away outings and having lost 9 of said fixtures, it’s clear for all to see that they’re far from a powerhouse on their travels.

Ultimately, whilst they are a better side than Cuenca on paper, one cannot underestimate the effect the altitude has and for that reason, alongside their sustained poor away form, we can see Fluminense struggling on Thursday.

It’ll take a huge effort for Cuenca to eliminate Fluminense over two legs but taking this match as a standalone fixture, the hosts will surely fancy their chances and we like the look of backing them on the Draw No Bet line at appealing odds. At worst, Cuenca shouldn’t fall to defeat but we believe they can cause something of an upset by edging ahead in the tie with a 2-1 win.