Preview: Independiente del Valle vs Rosario Central - prediction, team news, lineups

Ecuadorian outfit Independiente del Valle play host to Argentine side Rosario Central in their final group-stage fixture in the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday.

Both teams have already qualified for the last 16 with a game to spare, but top spot in Group H is still up for grabs.

Match preview

After failing to progress beyond the group stage in the last two seasons in the Copa Libertadores, Independiente del Valle are guaranteed to advance to the knockout rounds this term after accumulating 10 points from their first five matches.

Three wins, one draw and one defeat have been posted by Joaquin Papa’s side, who most recently secured a 4-1 home victory over Club Libertad last week, extending their winning run in all competitions to four matches.

However, that mini streak came to an end on Saturday when they let a one-goal lead slip with just 13 minutes remaining to lose 3-2 at home to Libertad Loja in the LigaPro Serie A. Nevertheless, the reigning Ecuadorian top-flight champions remain at the top of the table, and eight points clear of their nearest rivals Universidad Catolica in second place.

IDV will now shift their focus back to the Copa Libertadores and they head into Wednesday’s contest with Rosario knowing that they have to win by at least three goals if they wish to top Group H; any other result would force them to settle for second place in the four-team group.

While Papa’s side have only lost two of their last 14 home games in all tournaments, Rosario Central have been beaten just three times in their last 12 matches on the road. However, they have only played away from home once in their six fixtures in May, and that was a 1-0 defeat to River Plate in the semi-finals of the Argentine Primera Division.

The 2025 champions responded to that disappointing defeat with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Universidad Central on matchday five of the Copa Libertadores group stage a week last Tuesday, their biggest win in any competition since May 2023.

Jorge Almiron’s side are one of only four in this season’s Copa Libertadores who are yet to taste defeat in the group stage, but they are the only team who are yet to concede a single goal after five matches.

Sitting pretty at the summit of Group H with 13 points from a possible 15 available, El Canalla will be keen to preserve their unbeaten run in the competition having already secured their place in the last 16 for the first time since 2015-16 when they reached the quarter-finals.

Independiente del Valle Copa Libertadores form:

Independiente del Valle form (all competitions):

Rosario Central Copa Libertadores form:

Rosario Central form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Independiente del Valle will be without Juan Cazares, Richard Schunke, Guido Villar, Jean Arroyo and Patrik Mercado, as they continue to recover from knee-related injury.

Carlos Gonzalez scored his sixth goal in five Copa Libertadores matches last time out – only Independiente Rivadavia’s Alex Arce (eight) has scored more – and he is expected to continue up front, with Junior Sornoza and Justin Lerma operating in advanced midfield roles.

As for Rosario Central, Juan Cruz Komar (heart) and Juan Gimenez (knee) remain long-term absentees, while Gaspar Duarte has missed the last five matches with an unspecified issue and is not expected to be involved on Wednesday.

Almiron is unlikely to make too many changes to his starting lineup, which could include former Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria, Enzo Copetti and on-loan Tottenham forward Alejo Veliz who have scored 20 goals between them this season.

Independiente del Valle possible starting lineup:

Quintana; Romero, Carabajal, Viacava, Loor; Alcivar; Rodriguez, Lerma, Sornoza, Pata; Gonzalez

Rosario Central possible starting lineup:

Ledesma; Coronel, Mallo, Avila, Sandez; Pizzaro, Ibarra; Di Maria, Fernandez; Copetti, Veliz

We say: Independiente del Valle 0-2 Rosario Central

Independiente del Valle must chase a comprehensive victory to steal top spot in Group H, which may therefore force them to overcommit and leave spaces at the back.

Breaching the competition’s best defence could prove challenging, though, and we can see Rosario Central hitting the hosts on the break and claiming maximum points to cap off a flawless group-stage campaign.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.