Universidad de Chile have not been defeated in 34 games. In their run to the Copa Sudamericana Final, they’ve easily defeated Fenix, Nacional, Flamengo, Arsenal di Sarandi and Vasco da Gama. They’ve played derbies against Universidad Catolica and Colo-Colo, as well as a playoff series against Union Española. They’ve come out of all of this unscathed. On Wednesday, LDU Quito will have to do what 22 teams - including themselves - have failed to do this season if they want to win the Copa Sudamericana, and that’s defeat La U.
Copa Sudamericana Final 2011, Universidad De Chile Vs. LDU Quito: Preview, Liga Need A Miracle
Eduardo Vargas and Universidad de Chile look to keep their 34-match unbeaten run intact in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against LDU Quito.
It’s even more of a tall order than it sounds, especially due to their current circumstances. Liga already lost the first leg of the final 1-0 at home, in Quito, Ecuador. They now travel to Santiago, Chile, where they must defeat the form team in South America on the road. Luis Bolaños has recovered from injury to give them a boost, but they’re without their captain Neicer Reasco.
La U boast a clean bill of health and it will be interesting to see whether or not Jorge Sampaoli makes any tactical adjustments. He’s gone with a 3-3-1-3/3-4-3 system for most of the tournament, but switched to a 3-1-4-2 in the first leg of the final, with Albert Acevedo as his midfield destroyer. Normal holding midfielder Marcelo Diaz played slightly higher up the pitch, while regular playmaker Gustavo Lorenzetti sat on the bench. It proved to be a great move by Sampaoli, as his team kept a clean sheet.
All eyes are likely to be on La U’s Chilean international forward Eduardo Vargas, coming soon to a European football powerhouse near you. Vargas is the Copa Sudamericana’s leading scorer with nine goals and he was the man who scored the only goal in the first leg. Every club with some amount of money that needs a wide player or a forward has been linked to him, and it will be mildly surprising if he appears for La U in the Copa Libertadores next spring.
The second leg of the final kicks off at 7:15 p.m. ET from Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez in Santiago, Chile. You can watch the game in the USA on FOX Deportes.
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