Boca Juniors vs Independiente del Valle

Estadio Alberto Jose Armando sets the stage for a ‘make or break’ Copa Sudamericana playoff tie between Boca Juniors and Independiente del Valle.

Though things are not going Boca Juniors’ way at the beginning of the new Liga Professional season (W2, D2, L2), the Argentine heavyweights could still make amends on the continental front. Following a tepid 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture, Diego Martinez’s side can turn to their raucous home atmosphere to help them reach the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals and maintain their dream of winning the tournament for the first time since 2008. Unbeaten in four matches in the build-up to this pivotal clash (W2, D2), Boca Juniors ought to be confident about pulling off their first-ever win against Independiente del Valle after three failed attempts (D1, L2). Three consecutive home wins by an aggregate score of 7-1 can only solidify the hosts’ morale.

Meanwhile, Independiente del Valle have won this competition twice, most recently in 2022, and will unlikely be intimidated by their opposition’s stature. Before a scoreless first-leg draw, the Ecuadorians had won three competitive matches on the trot, including a narrow 1-0 triumph against domestic rivals Macara on their most recent road trip. However, Independiente’s recent away form brims with inconsistency. After four straight draws between mid-March and mid-April, they’ve alternated between winning (3) and losing (2) across their last five travels, with four of the five games (won/lost) in that sequence yielding a single-goal margin. Head coach Javier Gandolfi probably wouldn’t mind another hard-earned victory, but it’s worth noting that his men haven’t won any of their three continental away outings in 2024 (D1, L2).