Independiente del Valle vs Argentinos Juniors

Estadio Banco Guayaquil is the venue as Independiente del Valle and Argentinos Juniors square off in a top-table Copa Libertadores Group E six-pointer.

An emphatic 3-0 home win over Corinthians last time out was all Independiente del Valle needed to secure a berth in the Copa Libertadores knockouts with a game to spare. Despite experiencing mixed fortunes across their opening five Group E fixtures (W3, L2), ‘Los Negriazules’ can still progress as section winners, provided they can maintain their 100% win ratio in Copa Libertadores home games this season (W2). Both their previous victories have come by 2+ goals ‘to nil,’ with Martin Anselmi’s side breaking the deadlock within the opening half an hour of play. But the Ecuadorians must not underestimate their visitors, especially after blowing hot and cold across their last four competitive matches on home turf (W2, L2), all of which saw them score 2+ goals.

In the meantime, Argentinos Juniors bounced back from back-to-back Group E draws with a 2-1 comeback win over Liverpool Montevideo at home on Matchday 5, maintaining their unbeaten Copa Libertadores journey (W3, D2). A draw would see them advance into the knockout stages as group winners, and Gabriel Milito’s men have every reason to believe in their chances. Except for a 1-0 defeat to Liga Professional runners-up Talleres Cordoba toward the end of May, the visitors have gone unbeaten on six of their last seven travels in all competitions (W3, D3), racking up four clean sheets in the process. Ominously, though, the away goals have been at a premium for Argentinos Juniors in 2023, as they’ve netted one or fewer on 11 of their 13 road trips this calendar year.