San Lorenzo vs Deportivo Recoleta – News and Probable Lineups

San Lorenzo is set to host Deportivo Recoleta at the Bidegain Stadium for the final group match of the Copa Sudamericana, which will be crucial for determining their advancement to the round of 16.

The visitors are equally eager for a positive result as they need to secure a win to maintain their chances of qualification, having drawn all five matches in Group D.

Match overview

San Lorenzo celebrated a commendable 2-2 draw with Santos like a victory, especially after coming back from two goals down in Brazil to earn a valuable point.

Gustavo Alvarez’s team had a rough start at Vila Belmiro, conceding an early goal as Gabriel Bontempo finished a swift counter-attack before Gabigol extended Santos’s lead with a free kick just before half time.

Despite the difficult first half, El Ciclon showed resilience and put forth a spirited second-half performance that helped them recover at the Estadio Urbano Caldeira.

Goals from De Ritis and Gulli enabled San Lorenzo to make a remarkable comeback, allowing them to remain at the top of Group D with seven points, knowing that a home win against Recoleta would secure their spot in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16.

Even though the Argentine side has achieved only one victory in five group-stage matches, their unbeaten streak of four draws keeps them in a strong position, and they will aim to better the 1-1 result obtained away to Recoleta earlier in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Recoleta is still in search of their first victory in this competition, approaching the fifth round with the knowledge that a positive result is essential after drawing every match so far.

The Paraguayan team currently sits third in Group D with five points and views their Tuesday match against leaders San Lorenzo as a vital chance to achieve their first win and enhance their prospects of progressing to the round of 16.

Los Canarios had to settle for yet another draw in their latest fixture, getting equalized twice by Deportivo Cuenca at the Alejandro Serrano Stadium in Ecuador.

Pedro Rios gave Recoleta the lead within the opening 15 minutes, but their advantage was undone in unfortunate circumstances when Luis Cardozo accidentally directed a header into his own goal in the 26th minute.

Jorge Gonzalez’s side regained their lead in the 37th minute when Ronal Dominguez set up Junior Noguera on the edge of the box, allowing the midfielder to score with a low shot, although Cuenca leveled the score again through David Gonzalez in the 56th minute.

A victory at the Bidegain Stadium on Tuesday would propel Recoleta to the top of the group, inching one point ahead of San Lorenzo while also assuring their qualification for the knockout stage.

Team News

San Lorenzo faces the absence of three players due to serious injuries, with both Gaston Hernandez and Ezequiel Cerutti suffering ACL injuries that are expected to keep them sidelined until early 2027.

Centre-back Daniel Herrera is also a long-term absentee following an ACL injury he sustained in November, although he is anticipated to return before the end of the year.

For the visiting side, veteran right-back Ivan Piris remains the only long-term injury concern, having suffered an ACL injury in March, with a potential return expected in November, contingent on his recovery.

Recoleta striker Allan Wlk has netted 14 goals across all competitions this season, but only one of these has occurred in the Sudamericana, which came against San Lorenzo in their earlier meeting.

San Lorenzo probable starting XI:

Gill; E. Herrera, Romana, Montenegro; Insaurralde, Tripichio, Gulli, Barrios, De Ritis; Cuello, Auzmendi,

Deportivo Recoleta probable starting XI:

Ferreira; Echeguren, Marotta, Cardoso, Mosquera; Baez, Franco, Dominguez, Rios; Noguera, Wlk

A draw might suffice for San Lorenzo to advance to the knockout phase of the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday, but the momentum from their comeback against Santos and the benefit of playing at home could motivate them to aim for all three points.

Nevertheless, Recoleta has proven to be tough opponents throughout this tournament, as indicated by their five draws, and although they may need to pursue a victory to remain in contention for qualification, another stalemate appears the most probable outcome.