Cienciano vs Juventud – News and Probable Lineups

Cienciano will face Juventud in the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday night, as both teams aim to secure a place in the last 16 of the tournament.

Currently, Cienciano sits in second place in Group B, tied on points with the leaders, Academia Puerto Cabello, while Juventud sits one point below in fourth place.

Match overview

Cienciano has recorded two wins, one draw, and two defeats in their five Group B outings, accumulating seven points which puts them in second place.

Only the top spot in the group guarantees advancement to the round of 16; however, finishing second would send them to the knockout round playoffs, with all four teams in the group competing for the top two places in the final fixtures.

Horacio Melgarejo’s squad experienced a 2-0 defeat against Atletico Mineiro in their previous match in the tournament, but they come into this fixture following a 2-2 draw against Huancayo in the Peruvian league.

Cienciano has previously won the Copa Sudamericana once, back in 2023, defeating River Plate in the final.

The Red Fury played to a 1-1 draw with Juventud in their previous meeting on April 9.

Juventud heads into this match after drawing 1-1 with Puerto Cabello in Group B, a result that sees them positioned at the bottom of the table with seven points.

Despite this, Sebastian Mendez’s side is only one point shy of the top, and a victory on Wednesday would secure their position in the upper two.

El Juve, who have yet to clinch a Copa Sudamericana title, racked up the highest goal tally in Group B, netting nine times, though they have only managed to achieve one win.

Juventud knows they will be facing a tough challenge in this match, yet the Uruguayan team undoubtedly possesses the talent to make it a challenging encounter for Cienciano.

Cienciano Copa Sudamericana form:

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Cienciano form (all competitions):

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Juventud Copa Sudamericana form:

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Juventud form (all competitions):

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Team News

Cienciano will be missing defensive midfielder Santiao Arias due to injury on Wednesday; however, the rest of the squad appears to be in good condition for the match.

Carlos Garces has found the net 12 times in 22 matches this season and is expected to lead the attack here.

Alejandro Hohberg is likely to be another starter, as the 34-year-old has also been in formidable form, scoring 11 goals and providing five assists in 22 appearances.

Juventud will see two players absent due to injuries, with Ignacio Mujica and Ivan Rodriguez both not available for selection.

Fernando Mimbacas has been their primary goal scorer this season, contributing eight goals across all competitions, and will play centrally.

Ramiro Peralta is expected to retain his position in central midfield, having netted five goals and providing one assist in 23 games this term.

Cienciano probable starting XI:

Espinoza; Nunez, Amondarain, Becerra; Souza, Caparo, Barreto, Robles; Hohberg, Garces, Bandiera

Juventud probable starting XI:

Sosa; Morosini, Pernicone, Mas, Rabino; Perez, Cecchini, Peralta; Pereiro, Mimbacas, Sanchez

This match promises to be quite intriguing, and a closely contested scoreline is anticipated, with Cienciano likely to narrowly win and secure a top-two finish.