The Strongest vs Penarol

Estadio Hernando Siles sets the stage for the return leg of a one-sided Copa Libertadores last-16 tie between The Strongest and Penarol.

The Strongest may already be out of this tie following a crushing 4-0 first-leg defeat in Uruguay. The squad’s morale remains questionable heading into this second-leg clash after an underwhelming 2-0 loss at domestic rivals Tomayapo left Pablo Cabanillas’ team three points adrift of Division Profesional leaders Bolivar, making it three defeats across their last seven outings in all competitions (W2, D2). Confidence comes from The Strongest’s superb home form, with the hosts racking up a seven-match unbeaten streak at the Hernando Siles (W6, D1), a run which includes a thumping 4-0 victory against Huachipato in the previous Copa Libertadores knockout round. However, that’s just one of the two matches during that stretch to see the Tigre net more than three goals, suggesting a four-goal deficit could still be a tall order.

On the other hand, visiting Penarol perhaps got a bit complacent following an overwhelming first-leg triumph, sharing the spoils with sub-par domestic rivals Cerro Largo in a scoreless draw over the weekend. It was their second stalemate across the last three competitive games (W1), and manager Diego Aguirre probably wouldn’t mind a repeat of that outcome on Bolivian soil. That could prove easier said than done, considering the record-time Uruguayan champions have lost both previous competitive visits to The Strongest without scoring. Against this backdrop, the visitors have only lost once in regulation across their last eight road trips across all competitions (W5, D2), effectively rendering their quarter-final qualification a foregone conclusion.