América de Cali hosts Fluminense on Tuesday night in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana Round of 16. The match kicks off at 21:30 (Brasília time) at the Pascual Guerrero stadium in Cali, Colombia.
América de Cali earned their spot in the knockout stage by eliminating Bahia in the playoff rounds, winning 2-0 on aggregate after finishing second in Group C. Their coach, Jorge Orosmán, has no reported injuries ahead of the home leg.
Fluminense advanced directly to the Round of 16 after finishing top of Group F with 13 points. The Brazilian side will be without several players due to injuries: Otávio, Ignácio, Soteldo, Thiago Silva, Nonato and Gabriel Fuentes are unavailable for this match.
Where to watch: SBT (open TV) and Paramount+ (streaming).
Probable lineups
América de Cali:
– Jorge Soto; Cristian Tovar, Daniel Bocanegra, Jean Pestaña, Omar Bertel; Rafael Carrascal, Sebastián Navarro, Josen Escobar; Joel Romero, Luis Ramos, Cristian Barrios. Manager: Jorge Orosmán.
Fluminense:
– Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Manoel, Freytes, Renê (Guga); Hércules, Martinelli, Lima (Ganso); Serna, Everaldo, Canobbio. Manager: Renato Gaúcho.
What to watch
– América will look to capitalize on home advantage and set the tone early, while Fluminense will try to manage the tie with several absences.
– Midfield duels and the balance between América’s Carrascal and Escobar against Fluminense’s Hércules and Martinelli could shape the tempo of the match.
– The leg sets up a crucial second encounter in Rio de Janeiro, where Fluminense will aim to leverage its experience in knockout competition.
Summary
América de Cali and Fluminense meet in Cali for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana Round of 16. América arrives off a playoff win over Bahia and a solid home advantage, while Fluminense, though weakened by injuries, seeks a strong result to take back to Brazil. The clash features notable lineups on both sides and could hinge on how well América defends at home and how Fluminense handles the travel and squad limitations.
Commentary
This matchup offers a potential underdog storyline with América aiming to capitalize on the home venue and Fluminense trying to navigate through injuries while maintaining control of the tie. A positive result for América could energize their campaign in the competition and provide momentum heading into the second leg.
Negative sentiment
None