Fluminense vs Deportivo Cuenca Predictions

Thursday’s Copa Sudamericana round of 16, second leg action sees Brazilians Fluminense and Ecuadorians Deportivo Cuenca going head to head. An open game is expected as the visitors look for a miraculous turnaround after losing the first leg 2-0.

Despite coming into the tie as comfortable favourites, Fluminense still did incredibly well to win the first leg by such a convincing margin, given the match was played at gruelling altitude. Tricolor know they are now all but through into the quarter-finals and finishing the job off in style on home soil is now the target.

Having already seen off Nacional Potosi and Defensor Sporting in the competition so far, winning the home leg of each tie 3-0 and 2-0 respectively, Fluminense certainly have plenty of momentum behind them in continental action. Nonetheless, Marcelo Oliveira’s troops did lose 1-0 at home to Gremio over the weekend and will know they’ll need to put in an improved performance to finish the job off in convincing fashion.

Meanwhile, Deportivo Cuenca arrive knowing they are all but out of the competition but will still be hopeful of executing the most unlikeliest of turnarounds. The Ecuadorians knew that to have any real chance of advancing they needed to make use of their high altitude, home advantage and having failed to do so, they now find themselves in a difficult position.

Boss Richard Páez has done a pretty good job since inheriting a team in terrible form earlier on in the year, with Cuenca now far more competitive, but they’ll have to be at their absolute best to have any hope of advancing. Having won their last two away games, Cuenca certainly have the ability to threaten on the road but whether they can transfer said domestic wins onto the bigger stage remains to be seen.

Ultimately, with Cuenca having no option but to play on the front foot and Fluminense looking to put in a good showing in front of the home crowd, we’re expecting a very open game with plenty of chances at both ends.

As such, backing both nets to be hit looks an excellent way to play and is where our money is going at big odds. Cuenca undoubtedly have the tools to threaten Fluminense playing in such an aggressive, attacking manner but their problem is likely to be keeping the ball out at the other end.

6 of the visitors’ last 7 away matches have seen goals at both ends and that’s a sequence we can only see continuing but with Fluminense having won 8 of their last 9 Sudamericana home matches, it’s difficult to see a way back for the Ecuadorians, with a 3-1 margin of home victory on the cards.