Cusco FC
- Cusco, who have been in mediocre form with two wins, one draw and two defeats in their last five in all competitions, scoring six goals and conceding five, recently appointed coach Orfila.
- Orfila has inherited a team that is pragmatic and prioritises shape over attacking flair, that sets up to be solid and compact, plays at a low-to-medium tempo and transitions quickly when they win the ball.
- At home, Cusco can be very dangerous on the counter-attack and they will attempt to stifle Flamengo RJ with their block.
Flamengo RJ
- Flamengo come into this game in excellent form, winning 8-0 at Madureira in the Carioca championship, then beating Cruzeiro and Botafogo in Série A.
- Jardim is a brilliant strategist, who gets his teams to defend with numbers and shape while his forwards offer the type of service and quality to keep the ball and create chances in abundance.
Head-to-Head
This is the first meeting between Cusco FC and Flamengo RJ in the Copa Libertadores.
Key Players
- Paquetá is in his prime and controls the Flamengo attack from the centre of the field, where he can unlock defenses with one pass and provide his forwards with some great service.
- José Manzaneda is fast, can take a corner or a free-kick and has been involved in some of the goals his side has scored lately.
- Iván Colman is a good ball player and brings quality and creativity to the midfield while forwards Facundo Callejo and Juan Manuel Tévez could be a handful for the Flamengo defence at altitude.
Betting Insights
- Flamengo are the clear favorites at 1.73 to win this game.
- The altitude at over 3,300 metres above sea level and the possibility of chilly, rainy conditions could make the visitors’ task more difficult.
- Flamengo are a more complete team with superior squad depth, so they should have enough to edge out a victory in a high-scoring game.
- The Total Score Over 2.5 at 2.2 makes a lot of sense.
- We also like Both Teams to Score at 2.05 given Cusco’s home-field advantage.
Prediction
Cusco will be difficult to beat in their fortress of a home field and Flamengo will need to show their patience and take advantage of their chances to win this one.
