Cuenca vs Santos – News and Probable Lineups

As they make their way to Ecuador for the Copa Sudamericana Group D opener, Santos will face the challenge of altitude when they take on Deportivo Cuenca on Wednesday evening.

The Brazilian team comes into this international tournament with mixed results in their domestic matches, while the Ecuadorian hosts aim to leverage their home-ground advantage as both teams kick off their group-stage campaigns.

Match overview

Cuenca secured their spot in the group stage with a strong 3-0 win over fellow countrymen Libertad de Loja in the preliminary rounds, demonstrating their home dominance at the Estadio Alejandro Serrano Aguilar.

This will be the sixth time the Ecuadorian club competes in the Copa Sudamericana, but their past record is concerning as they have never advanced beyond the early rounds in any of their previous five attempts. They are determined to break that trend this time.

In 2026, the Southern Express has shown promising form, with four wins, two draws, and two losses in their eight competitive fixtures so far this year. Their latest clash resulted in a hard-fought 2-0 away win against Emelec.

Goals from Matias Klimowicz and German Ariel Rivero in the closing stages of that match at Estadio George Capwell secured all three points for Jorge Celico’s side, who capitalized on their numerical advantage. This victory placed Cuenca fifth in the LigaPro standings and provided a boost going into Wednesday’s match.

Santos, meanwhile, is participating in the Copa Sudamericana for the 12th time but has yet to reach the semi-finals, with their best finishes being quarter-final exits in 2003, 2004, and 2021.

The Fish have faced challenges in recent years, including relegation to the second division, and their return to continental competition comes after they barely qualified on the last day of the 2025 Campeonato Brasileiro — not the ideal build-up one would expect for an international tournament.

Santos’ 2026 statistics reflect a familiar pattern of inconsistency: across 19 matches, they’ve notched only five wins, along with seven draws and seven losses, scoring 26 goals while conceding 25.

In their most recent match, they led against Flamengo in the Brasileirao but ultimately fell apart and lost 3-1 — a result that encapsulates their troubles this season.

Santos will hope that a switch in competition will change their mental state, although the fatigue from the long journey, combined with just one win in their last five fixtures (D2, L2, W1), suggests that Cuca’s men may face a challenging match.

Team News

Cuenca might have a couple of fitness issues to address prior to Wednesday’s match, with Andres Lopez and Ariel Mosquera both doubtful after missing the trip to Emelec due to thigh injuries.

In contrast, Santos has a notably longer list of absentees, with star forward Neymar not available as a safety precaution, as head coach Cuca has indicated that the number 10 is undergoing a specialized program focused on improving speed and endurance.

Other attacking player Gabigol will also miss the game, while Vinicius Lira and Mayke remain out, along with midfielders Gabriel Menino and Tomas Rincon, leaving Cuca with a depleted squad for what is anticipated to be a physically demanding matchup.

Deportivo Cuenca probable starting XI:

Ferrero; Arboleda, Postel, Boolsen, Morocho; Vega, Garcia, Diaz; Gonzalez, Mancinelli, Leguizamon

Santos probable starting XI:

coat of arms; Igor Vinicius, Verissimo, Luan Peres, Escobar; Oliva, Gustavo Henrique, Bontempo, Barreal; Rony, Thaciano

While Deportivo Cuenca’s home advantage and altitude should not be overlooked, opening fixtures in group stages often yield cautious play, as both teams are likely to be cautious about conceding early advantages.

Despite their ongoing struggles in domestic competitions, Santos still possesses enough quality within their squad to secure a narrow victory in this away match, and we expect Cuca’s men to edge this contest by the narrowest of margins while maintaining a clean sheet.