By Louis Smith.
The Copa Sudamericana reaches its final matchweek this week, with sides still hoping to progress into the knockouts. In this article, we will break down each group and the scenarios heading into the final round of fixtures.
Group A
Ecuadorian side Macará are the only side to have already secured progression into the last knockouts, currently sitting top of the group.
Meanwhile, Alianza Atlético have already been eliminated after picking up just two points from their opening five matches.
The remaining qualification place will be decided between América de Cali and Tigre. América de Cali face Macará in the final round, where a point would be enough for the Ecuadorian side to secure top spot in the group and progress directly into the round of 16.
If that happens, América de Cali would then need Alianza Atlético to do them a favour against Tigre, as a Tigre defeat would see the Colombian side progress into the next round due to their superior head-to-head record.
If América de Cali CSD Macará, they would progress directly into the round of 16, while Macará would advance into the knockout play-off round. This is due to Macará holding the superior head-to-head record over Tigre.
Tigre can no longer reach the round of 16 directly, but they can still qualify for the knockout play-off stage.
Group B
Group B is by far the most competitive group in the competition, with Academia Puerto Cabello, Cienciano, Clube Atlético Mineiro and Esporte Clube Juventude separated by just one point.
The top three sides all sit on seven points, while Juventude are just behind on six. That means the final round of fixtures is effectively made up of two knockout matches. Atlético Mineiro face Academia Puerto Cabello, while Cienciano take on Juventude.
The winner of each tie would secure progression into the knockout stages of the Copa Sudamericana. However, should either match end in a draw, it would favour Academia Puerto Cabello and Cienciano, who currently sit above their opponents in the table.
Of the sides locked on seven points, a mini-league has effectively been created due to CONMEBOL’s head-to-head points rule.
Academia Puerto Cabello currently hold six head-to-head points with a +2 head-to-head goal difference. Cienciano also have six head-to-head points, but with a -2 goal difference. Meanwhile, Clube Atlético Mineiro have just three head-to-head points with a goal difference of 0.
That means Atlético Mineiro realistically have to win in midweek if they are to progress into the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana. Should they do so, the overall goal difference would then likely become the deciding factor in determining who progresses directly into the last 16 and who advances into the knockout play-off round.
Group C
São Paulo FC have already guaranteed themselves progression into either the knockout play-off round or the round of 16, currently sitting on nine points heading into the final matchweek.
If São Paulo beat Boston River, they will secure progression directly into the round of 16. However, if they draw, their final position would then depend on the result between Millonarios and O’Higgins.
If Millonarios beat O’Higgins, the Colombian side would leapfrog São Paulo into top spot. However, if O’Higgins beat Millonarios and São Paulo draw, the Brazilian side would still progress directly into the round of 16 due to their superior head-to-head record.
Millonarios, therefore, need São Paulo to lose if they are to finish top of the group. However, a draw or victory against O’Higgins would still see them progress into the knockout play-off round of the Copa Sudamericana.
Group D
Group D is the most competitively active group, with all four sides still having a chance of progressing into either the round of 16 or the knockout play-off round of the Copa Sudamericana.
In fact, the only side who cannot finish top of the group are Santos FC. However, they can still advance into the knockout play-off round if they beat Deportivo Cuenca. To do so, they would also need Deportivo Recoleta not to beat San Lorenzo de Almagro.
Deportivo Cuenca could still progress with a draw, but that would require Recoleta to fail to beat San Lorenzo. Essentially, Cuenca simply need to better Recoleta’s result in order to qualify for the next stage.
San Lorenzo, meanwhile, know that a point would be enough to secure progression.
Group E
One of the simplest groups to report on is Group E, as everything has already been decided heading into the final round of fixtures. Racing Club take on Independiente Petrolero, while Caracas FC hosts Botafogo.
Botafogo have already secured progression into the round of 16, sitting on 13 points after winning four matches and drawing one from their opening five games.
Also progressing, but into the knockout play-off round, are Caracas, who have won twice and drawn three times, putting themselves on nine points heading into the final matchweek.
Racing and Independiente Petrolero have both already been eliminated from the competition. Racing currently sit on five points, while the Bolivian side are still yet to pick up a point in the tournament.
Group F
Also fairly straightforward to explain is Group F, where Montevideo City Torque and Grêmio will battle it out to decide who progresses directly into the round of 16 and who drops into the knockout play-off round.
Heading into the final matchweek, the Uruguayan side sit top of the table, two points ahead of Grêmio. That means the Brazilian side have to win in midweek if they are to progress directly into the last 16, while Montevideo City Torque simply require a point to secure top spot.
To make matters even more straightforward, the two sides face each other in the final round, with Grêmio hosting the Uruguayan outfit.
Deportivo Riestra and Club Deportivo Palestino have already been eliminated from the competition and will now only be playing for pride. Palestino must win if they are to finish third, while Deportivo Riestra simply need a point to retain their current position.
Group G
Group G is a little more complicated. Barracas Central have already been eliminated from the competition after picking up just two draws from their five matches and still remain without a victory.
Club Olimpia currently lead the way on 10 points, meaning their task is fairly simple heading into the final matchweek, they just need to pick up a point to progress into the next round.
Vasco da Gama sit on seven points in second place alongside Audax Italiano, and this is where things begin to become complicated with head-to-head records taking precedence over overall points and goal difference.
As things currently stand, Vasco da Gama are ahead of Audax Italiano on overall goal difference, as their head-to-head matches both finished identically, 2-1 to the away team.
If Audax Italiano beat Olimpia, they would move to 10 points. Should Vasco also win their match, all three sides would finish on 10 points, meaning qualification positions would then be determined by the mini-league head-to-head standings between the three teams.
At present, Olimpia and Vasco both sit on six points within the head-to-head standings, with Olimpia holding a slightly better goal difference overall, but Vasco having a better H2H goal difference by one.
So, should Audax Italiano defeat Olimpia, things would become even more complicated as a victory for the Chilean side would move them onto six head-to-head points as well, meaning all three sides would be level on overall group points and
head-to-head points.
That would then bring goal difference into play within the mini-league standings between the three teams, so, in this scenario, a lot will depend on the margin of victory for Audax Italiano versus Olimpia.
It promises to be one of the strangest and most dramatic groups heading into the final evening of the competition.
Group H
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