Godoy Cruz can vault into a spot at the Copa Libertadores next season when they host San Lorenzo on Thursday at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.
On matchday eight of the second phase in the Argentine Primera Division campaign, Tomba hung onto a 1-0 victory at Estudiantes, putting them two points behind San Lorenzo for fourth in the overall table, with the latter losing their previous league contest 3-0 versus Newell's Old Boys.
Match preview
An airtight defensive shape and excellent execution have been the backbone of Godoy Cruz's success of late, enabling them to remain unbeaten in the second phase of this competition.
Since this round began, Expreso have posted a clean sheet in half of their encounters (4/8), allowing a goal or fewer on six occasions.
Going back to the opening phase in the 2023 Primera Division campaign, Godoy have only suffered one domestic defeat at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas (1-0 to Estudiantes in February), while nine of their 13 combined wins in this competition have occurred on home soil.
Although Daniel Oldra's side have not scored a ton of goals, with only eight to this point of the second phase, Tomba have been a lot sharper in front of goal at home, scoring three or more times in four opening round fixtures, while netting on multiple occasions in nine total matches at home over this domestic campaign.
Bodeguero are unbeaten in their last three competitive fixtures versus San Lorenzo, without a goal conceded over that stretch while claiming at least a point in six of their previous eight home games against them.
From a Godoy side seemingly on the rise domestically, we have Los Santos, who have been in decline in the second phase, winless in seven successive domestic encounters and fresh off their worst league defeat since February 2021 (4-0 loss to Central Cordoba).
That is their longest run without a triumph in this competition since going winless in 13 successive contests in 2021, and their poor form in league play has dropped them down to fourth in the overall table, a point behind Defensa y Justicia for a place in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores next year.
Despite finishing third in the opening phase of this competition, Los Cuervos netted the second-fewest goals among sides who ended that round in the top half of the table (23), and their struggles in front of goal have continued in this phase with Ruben Dario Insua's men failing to score in three of their previous four league fixtures.
They have made up for that by being difficult to penetrate on the back end in this phase, particularly on the road, where they have only conceded once in four matches, while overall, this team have given up a goal or fewer in all but two league contests this season.
San Lorenzo have failed to win three times in this phase when scoring first but have also never lost when going up 1-0 in any domestic encounter this year.
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Team News
Tomas Conechny will miss this game for Godoy after receiving a pair of cautions in their victory over Estudiantes, while there were two changes made to their starting 11 for that match when compared to matchday seven with Hernan Lopez Munoz and Daniel Barrera replacing Enzo Gaggi and Salomon Rodriguez.
Tadeo Allende had the only Expreso goal the last time out, but it was enough to give them the victory over Estudiantes as Diego Rodriguez made three stops for the clean sheet.
San Lorenzo will be without Gonzalo Lujan for this encounter as he received a pair of second-half yellow cards versus Newell's, while Ezequiel Cerutti is unlikely to see the field again this season because of an ACL injury.
Adam Bareiro was the last player for El Ciclon to find the back of the net in this competition, as his penalty deep into stoppage time gave them a 1-1 draw at home to Huracan at the end of September, while Augusto Batalla has three domestic clean sheets away from home in this phase of the Primera campaign and he collected one in their quarter-final game against San Marin at the Copa Argentina last week, when a Federico Girotti penalty gave them a 1-0 triumph.
Godoy Cruz possible starting lineup:
D. Rodriguez; Arce, Barrios, Rasmussen, Guillen; Nunez, Fernandez; Gaggi, Munoz, Allende; S. Rodriguez
San Lorenzo possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Perez, Sanchez, Hernandez; Auzqui, Elias, Maroni, Barrios; Leguizamon, Ramirez; Bareiro
We say: Godoy Cruz 0-0 San Lorenzo
Both sides have been a lot better defensively in this phase when compared to their form in the attacking third, while neither have had a real difference-maker that can change the complexion of a match.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
