Nacional De Football vs Fluminense Predictions

Wednesday’s Copa Sudamericana quarter final, second leg action sees Uruguayans Nacional doing battle with Brazilian Fluminense. It’s the hosts who are in the driving seat following their last gasp equaliser in Rio de Janeiro in last week’s first leg.

To leave the Maracana with parity in store and an away goal scored has to rank as good work for Nacional, who limited Fluminense well in said 1-1 draw. Now all focus is on advancing to the semi-finals, evidenced by the fact Alexander Medina rested his starters in a draw away at Atenas at the weekend, and with the Estadio Gran Parque Central sold out days before kick off, Los Albos will have plenty of support to call upon.

Overall 2018 has been an excellent year for Nacional, with their current continental run being complimented by top spot finishes in both the opening and intermediate phases of the domestic campaign. What will have confidence particularly high coming into Wednesday’s game is an excellent home record, with the side having won 20 of their last 25 on their own patch and those that take to the pitch will be vying for yet another.

Meanwhile, typically far stronger on home turf than on the road, Fluminense really needed to bring an advantage with them to Montevideo and having failed to do so in such dramatic circumstances, there’s plenty of disappointment present in travelling ranks and those selected now look like facing an uphill battle.

Currently 10th in the Brazilian Serie A and having eliminated Nacional Potosi, Defensor Sporting and Deportivo Cuenca to reach this point of the Sudamericana, 2018 has also been a strong year for Tricolor, considering their limited resources. Nonetheless, 3 defeats from the last 5 away from home and no goals scored in the last 2 does have you fearing for the side on Wednesday.

Ultimately, Nacional have done the hard part as regards avoiding defeat in the first leg and from this point onward, they have to be regarded as huge favourites to win the tie. Man for man, there’s not a great deal between the two in terms of quality, but the Uruguayans are an extremely powerful force as hosts and will be hungry to prove exactly that once again.

All things considered, backing a home win looks an excellent way to play and is exactly where our money is going. You simply cannot ignore Nacional’s stunning home record and we think they’ll edge Fluminense out vi a 1-0 margin of victory.