Banfield – Deportivo Cuenca

Posted Wednesday, April 21, 2010 by Goal.com

The highly-rated Argentine outfit are struggling to progress beyond the group stage…

Thursday, April 22, 2010, 00.30 CET
Estadio Florencio Sola, Buenos Aires

Destiny In Their Hands

After winning the Argentine Apertura in convincing style last year, Banfield find themselves seven points behind joint-leaders Estudiantes de La Plata and Independiente with four games to go in the Clausura campaign. The fact that they will not retain their title is hardly surprising, however – no team has won two successive championships since Boca Juniors in 2005-06. Coach Julio Falcioni has also just inked a new two-year contract with el Taladro to put an end to speculation that he would leave just six months after leading the club to their maiden Argentine title.

Fatigue may be becoming a factor for Banfield now though, with next Thursday marking their eighth match within a month. El Taladro won only two of those eight games – the first against nine-man Gimnasia La Plata and the second against San Lorenzo, who had replaced coach Diego Simeone only a few days prior to the fixture. There was no rest for Falcioni’s men after their defeat to Independiente at the weekend as they retook to the training ground yesterday to undergo some aerobic exercises and begin preparation for their final Copa Libertadores group game.

The latter stages of South America’s premier club competition is not uncharted territory for Banfield, who reached the quarter-finals in 2005. At the time of writing, they are the sixth best placed runner-up, which would see them sneak into the last 16 by the back door due to the two worst runners-up being eliminated. The onus is on Banfield – they can still finish first if Nacional drop points against Mexican outfit Morelia, while only a disaster would see them finish third. Even so, second place may not be good enough.

Dead Rubber

Deportivo Cuenca’s Copa Libertadores journey is almost over for another year. Having only garnered four points from five games, they cannot repeat last year’s feat of reaching the last 16. The highlight of this year’s group stage for the Ecuadorians came last month with a 2-0 victory against Morelia, while they could consider themselves unfortunate not to have taken a point off Nacional in the opening match.

Attentions will soon be turned back to the domestic championship, where los Morlacos are currently residing in fourth with a game in hand against Emelec. A tendency to start sluggishly has blighted their fortunes so far in Serie A; Deportivo have conceded the first goal in four of their last five matches. They recently lost their nine-match unbeaten record in the league to Barcelona and coach Paul Velez will hope that there are no lasting effects from the 2-1 reverse.

The fact that Deportivo are already nine points off the lead in the Ecuadorian league – Barcelona currently lead the table by three points from unbeaten LDU Quito – intimates that Velez’s side will struggle to compete for honours in the first stage of the championship. A strong performance in their final group match will help restore the squad’s morale immediately, however, and after their wonderful run to the knockout stage last year they cannot be written off.

FORM GUIDE

Banfield

April 17 v Independiente (H) – LOST 3-1 (Argentine Clausura)

April 11 v Velez Sarsfield (A) – DREW 0-0 (Argentine Clausura)

April 8 v San Lorenzo (H) – WON 2-0 (Argentine Clausura)

April 4 v Estudiantes (A) – DREW 1-1 (Argentine Clausura)

April 1 v Morelia (A) – DREW 1-1 (Copa Libertadores)

Deportivo Cuenca

April 18 v Barcelona (A) – LOST 2-1 (Ecuadorian Serie A)

April 13 v LDU Quito (H) – DREW 1-1 (Ecuadorian Serie A)

April 7 v Nacional (H) – DREW 0-0 (Copa Libertadores)

April 2 v Manta (H) – DREW 1-1 (Ecuadorian Serie A)

March 27 v ESPOLI (H) – WON 3-0 (Ecuadorian Serie A)

TEAM NEWS

Banfield

There are doubts over the fitness of 'keeper Cristian Luchetti and defender Julio Barraza, but it is thought that the former will be able to line up between the posts. The latter is likely to be replaced by Santiago Ladino if he fails a late fitness test.

Probable Starting XI: Luchetti; Ladino, Maidana, Lopez, Bustamente; Quinteros, Erviti, Battion, Rodriguez; Fernandez, Ramirez.

Deportivo Cuenca

Coach Paul Velez has kept his counsel about the potential starting XI for Deportivo’s final Copa Libertadores match, but is likely to put out a strong team including journeyman striker Luis Miguel Escalada and Joffre Guerron’s half-brother Juan.

Probable Starting XI: Dreer; Narvaez, Ianiero, Ayovi, Guerron; Ramos, Garcia, Valdiviezo, Endara; Mendez, Escalada.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

James Rodriguez (Banfield)

Rodriguez began the tournament in astonishing form and has notched four goals in the group stage – as many as Estudiantes’ star striker Mauro Boselli. The Colombian is one of South America’s brightest young talents, and both his skill on the ball and his danger from long-distance shots will be major threats to Deportivo.

Luis Miguel Escalada (Deportivo Cuenca)

The Argentine has been Deportivo’s most reliable man in front of goal in 2010, having scored eight goals since the turn of the year including the second in the Ecuadorians’ 2-0 win against Morelia. At 24-years-old he has already appeared for a host of clubs but is beginning to settle in Cuenca.

PREDICTION

Banfield need a victory to have any chance of going through to the last 16 – a draw may not be good enough due to the fact two second-placed teams will miss out. The visitors will be looking for one last hurrah in the competition and may record a result if they can contain Rodriguez and Walter Erviti.

Banfield 2-1 Deportivo Cuenca