Copa Libertadores, Tuesday Preview: São Paulo Looks For a Goal, Vélez Looks For Three

The second leg of Copa Libertadores’ Round of 16 ties kick-off Tuesday night with two of the tournament’s favorites at home, trying to advance to the quarterfinals.

Brazilians São Paulo are on-track to advance past Univeristario of Peru, while Argentines Vélez Sarsfield’s lopsided result last week in Guadalajara has last year’s Clausua champions on the brink of elimination.

#4 Vélez Sarsfield (0) vs. #13 Chivas (3)

The most surprising result of the last week’s first legs saw Chivas rout Vélez Sarsfield 3-0. Two goals by Omar Bravo and a late penalty kick from defender Hector Reynoso give Guadalajara a probably insurmountable lead.

Chivas had been struggling in Mexican league play, and entering their first match of Libertadores, looked fodder for a Vélez side that had posted one of the tournament’s most impressive group stage campaigns, winning a group that featured Cruziero and Colo Colo, allowing only five goals in six matches.

Vélez’s defending, normally reliable thanks to the likes of Nicolas Otamendi, Sebastián Domínguez and Emiliano Papa, has allowed multiple goals in three of their last four matches and has failed to regain the form that saw El Fortín win last year’s Clausura while only allowing 13 goals.

Chivas, however, has scarcely been better. While they kept a clean sheet last week against Vélez, Guadalajara allowed four goals in their Saturday match against Morelia, the opening leg of their Liguilla quarterfinal. Going back to the beginning of April, Chivas has given up 12 goals in six matches.

Should that two-per-match rate continue, Chivas will still go through to the quarters, where they would face the winner of Libertad-Once Caldas. Whether Vélez will transcend that rate depends on midfielder Maxi Moralez (seven goals this year in Argentina), Hernán López (six) and Santiago Silva (five since rejoining the club from Banfield in January).

Vélez may need four goals, particularly with number one goalkeeper German Montoya suspended, having earned a red card at the end of leg one.

#2 São Paulo (0) vs. #15 Universitario (0)

São Paulo. the round’s number two seed, is the driver’s seat of their tie with Universitario, having gotten a 0-0 result last week in Lima, playing the last half-hour of the match a man down after Richarlyson was dismissed. The dismissal may have been a reprieve for Universitario, who survived a first half onslaught to get to half drawn scoreless. A reckless tackle in the match’s 65th minute brought out a second yellow card for the midfielder-come-left back, sparking one of the more aggressive (if ultimately harmless) protests .

São Paulo had shown enough through the first 65 minutes to have them likely to get a goal a man down, but Richarlyson’s dismissal and protests seemed to kill any momentum the Tricolor carried over from the first half. A couple of great chances at the end almost got São Paulo their lead, but given the chances Universitario generated while up a man, Säo Paulo has to be happy to go home with the upper hand.

If the Brazilians play as they did last week, they will win this match. With Hernanes as the focal point, São Paulo were able to move effortlessly into attack, and more urgent finishing in the face of the tie’s second leg could see an early goal from Washington, Dagoberto, or Jorge Wágner.

Rest of this week’s schedule:

Wednesday

#1 BRA-Corinthians (0) vs. #16 BRA-Flamengo (1)

#3 ARG-Estudiantes (1) vs. #14 MEX-San Luis (0)

#7 URU-Nacional (1) vs. #10 BRA-Cruziero (3)

Thursday

#5 PAR-Libertad (0) vs. #12 COL-Once Caldas (0)

#6 BRA-Internacional (1) vs. #11 ARG-Banfield (3)

#8 CHI-Universidad de Chile (1) vs. #9 PER-Alianza Lima (0)