Independiente vs Rosario – News and Probable Lineups

Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle will host Argentine team Rosario Central in their final group-stage match of the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday.

Both squads have secured their spots in the last 16 with one game remaining, yet the top position in Group H is still contestable.

Match overview

After struggling to progress past the group stage in the previous two seasons of the Copa Libertadores, Independiente del Valle is assured advancement to the knockout rounds this year, having accumulated 10 points from their first five matches.

With three victories, one draw, and one defeat, Joaquin Papa’s team recently secured a 4-1 win at home against Club Libertad, marking their fourth consecutive victory across all competitions.

However, that winning streak ended on Saturday when they squandered a one-goal lead with just 13 minutes remaining, losing 3-2 at home to Libertad Loja in the LigaPro Serie A. Nonetheless, the reigning champions of the Ecuadorian top flight continue to lead the table, sitting eight points ahead of their nearest challengers, Universidad Catolica, in second place.

IDV will now redirect their focus towards the Copa Libertadores and enter Wednesday’s match against Rosario knowing they must win by at least three goals to secure the top spot in Group H; any other result would leave them in second place in the group.

While Papa’s side have only suffered two defeats in their last 14 home matches across all tournaments, Rosario Central have only been beaten three times in their last 12 away games. Nevertheless, they have only played away from home once in their six fixtures in May, which ended in a 1-0 loss to River Plate during the semi-finals of the Argentine Primera Division.

The 2025 champions responded to that disappointing loss with a convincing 4-0 win against Universidad Central in matchday five of the Copa Libertadores group stage the Tuesday before last, marking their largest margin of victory in any competition since May 2023.

Jorge Almiron’s squad is one of only four teams in this season’s Copa Libertadores that remains unbeaten in the group stage, and they are the only team yet to concede a single goal after five matches.

Occupying the top position in Group H with 13 points from a possible 15, El Canalla will be eager to maintain their unbeaten streak in the competition, as they have already ensured their place in the last 16 for the first time since the 2015-16 season, when they reached the quarter-finals.

Team News

Independiente del Valle will be missing Juan Cazares, Richard Schunke, Guido Villar, Jean Arroyo, and Patrik Mercado, who are all recovering from knee injuries.

Carlos Gonzalez netted his sixth goal in five Copa Libertadores matches last time out – surpassed only by Independiente Rivadavia’s Alex Arce (eight) – and he is expected to lead the attack, with Junior Sornoza and Justin Lerma in advanced midfield positions.

For Rosario Central, Juan Cruz Komar (heart) and Juan Gimenez (knee) continue to be sidelined, while Gaspar Duarte has missed the last five matches due to an unspecified issue and is not anticipated to participate on Wednesday.

Almiron is unlikely to make many alterations to his starting lineup, which might feature former Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria, Enzo Copetti, and on-loan Tottenham forward Alejo Veliz, who have collectively scored 20 goals this season.

Independiente del Valle probable starting XI:

Quintana; Romero, Carabajal, Viacava, Loor; Alcivar; Rodriguez, Lerma, Sornoza, Pata; Gonzalez

Rosario Central probable starting XI:

Ledesma; Coronel, Mallo, Avila, Sandez; Pizzaro, Ibarra; Di Maria, Fernandez; Copetti, Veliz

Independiente del Valle needs to pursue a decisive victory to take the top position in Group H, which may lead them to overextend themselves and create gaps in their defense.

However, breaking through the best defense in the competition could be a tough task, and we anticipate that Rosario Central could exploit counter-attacks to secure the points to finish their group-stage campaign flawlessly.