A place in the playoffs of the Copa Sudamericana will be up for grabs in Group A when Montevideo Wanderers play host to Barcelona SC at the Estadio Centenario on Wednesday.
The Idolo del Ecuador are currently second in the group standings, level on points with group leaders Lanus and one above Wednesday's hosts in third place.
Match preview
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Montevideo Wanderers made it two consecutive victories for the first time since March when they saw off 10-man Cerrito 2-0 in the Uruguayan top flight last Sunday.
In a one-sided affair at the Parque Palermo, the Uruguayan duo of Nicolas Ferreira and Mauro Mendez scored in either half to hand the visitors their fifth win of the campaign.
Daniel Carreno's men now turn their attention to the Copa Sudamericana, where they have turned a corner in recent weeks, picking up two straight victories after failing to win any of their opening three in the group.
With seven points from five games, Montevideo Wanderers are currently third in the group standings, one point off Lanus and Barcelona SC, who are both tied on eight points at the top of the pile.
While they will look to pick up a third win on the bounce and secure a playoffs ticket, they have struggled to get going on home turf, where they have failed to taste victory in any of their last six outings, picking up four draws and losing two since March's 2-1 win over Cerro Largo.
Barcelona SC, on the other hand, failed to find their feet in the Ecuadorian Liga Pro as they fell to a 2-1 defeat versus Aucas when the sides met at the Estadio Gonzalo Pozo Ripalda last time out.
Goals from Victor Figueroa and Francisco Fydriszewski saw Cesar Farias's side head into the interval with a two-goal cushion before Damian Diaz grabbed a consolation from the penalty spot in the 53rd-minute.
Barcelona SC have now failed to win any of their last four outings across all competitions, picking up three draws and losing one since brushing aside Guayaquil City 4-1 on May 9.
While Jorge Celico's side head into Wednesday knowing failure to pick up all three points could spell an end to their hopes of a place in the playoffs, they have failed to win any of their two away games in the group, losing 3-1 to Lanus back in April before holding out for a 2-2 draw at Metropolitanos on May 20.
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Team News
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Fresh off the back of a comfortable victory over Cerrito, Carreno could name an unchanged XI on Wednesday, meaning we could see an attacking quartet of Ferreira, Mendez, Nicolas Quagliata and Guillermo Wagner.
With his strike at the weekend, Uruguayan forward Mendez has now been involved in nine goals in his last 11 outings and the 23-year-old will certainly be one to keep an eye out for.
Montevideo Wanderers will also be boosted by the return of veteran defender Jonathan Lacerda after the 35-year-old missed the trip to Lanus through a one-match suspension for receiving his marching orders against Metropolitanos on May 4.
Meanwhile, Barcelona SC head into the game with a clean bill of health and no suspension concerns, giving Celico the luxury of a full-strength squad at his disposal.
Twenty-six-year-old Gabriel Cortez has been on song for the Ecuadorian outfit, netting 14 goals in 16 league appearances, and the Guayaquil City loanee will look to deliver the goods once again.
He should be joined in attack by former Parma man Gonzalo Mastriani, who has 10 goals to his name in the Liga Pro, while we should see a centre-back pairing of Carlos Rodriguez and Luca Sosa at the opposite end of the pitch.
Montevideo Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Silveira; Acosta, Garcia, Aguirre, Fracchia; Vidart, Estol; Quagliata, Wagner, Ferreira; Mendez
Barcelona SC possible starting lineup:
Burrai, Velasco, Rodriguez, Sosa, Perlaza; Molina; Carcelen, Diaz, Penilla; Mastriani, Cortez
We say: Montevideo Wanderers 1-2 Barcelona SC
With a playoffs ticket potentially on the line, we anticipate an action-packed contest with both sides taking the game to each other in search of all three points. Barcelona SC head into the game as the more experienced side and we are tipping them to come away with a slender victory in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joshua Ojele
