The head-to-head clash between the two Group B front-runners in the final round is unlikely to produce a flurry of chances. River Plate have already secured top spot and a place in the knockout round, while Universitario de Deportes need to remain compact on the road – the squad are adept at defending in a low block.
Last week, River Plate’s unbeaten run came to an end with a 2:1 defeat to Platense in the Apertura quarter-finals, being eliminated from the domestic competition on penalties. Prior to that, the team had not lost since early March, amassing seven clean sheets during that spell. With five players injured, the coaching staff are unlikely to place much emphasis on the final group fixture.
Universitario de Deportes will be without Horacio Calcaterra (injury) and Aldo Corzo (suspension) for the upcoming match. In their five Copa Libertadores outings so far, the team have not featured in a single game with more than 2.5 goals – their matches have averaged just 1.2 goals per 90 minutes. On the road, they narrowly lost to Independiente del Valle (0:1) before edging out Barcelona Sporting Club (1:0) – there is little reason to expect attacking surprises from them on Wednesday night.
Nearly two months ago, River Plate secured a 1:0 away win over Universitario de Deportes thanks to an early goal from Paulo Díaz. A similarly low-scoring encounter is anticipated in Buenos Aires, with the sides unlikely to combine for more than two goals once again.
