Deportivo Cali concluded its preparation to visit this Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. to Melgar from Peru, for the second leg of the round of 16 of the 2022 South American Cup, at the UNSA Monumental stadium in Arequipa, after drawing 0-0 in the first leg last week in Palmaseca. The sugar team, after the departure of coach Rafael Dudamel, hope to return to the path of victory and qualify for the next round.
After the first leg commitment the previous Wednesday, the group returned to training the following day with physical recovery and flexibility work. On Friday when Dudamel became known, the team trained in the afternoon under the orders of the coach in charge Ítalo Cervino, who during that day was articulating with the group he already knows and beginning to prepare for the important duel this Wednesday.
During Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the team was working on the tactical part, specific aspects and definition from the penalty spot, and then on Monday afternoon they left for the city of Arequipa on a charter flight, where they arrived in the hours of the night. Regarding the commitment, coach Ítalo analyzed what he expects from the group.
“Melgar is an organized team that plays soccer well, but my concern is Deportivo Cali, that as long as we do our approach well and the players are in what they have to be, which is to have fun and play soccer; things are going to work out.”
This Tuesday the team carried out the last practice prior to the match, in which they must win by the minimum difference, if they want to avoid shooting from the penalty spot and thus advance to the South American quarterfinals. The only losses that the sugar producers present are those of Carlos Lucumí and Daniel Luna who were expelled with a direct red card in the first leg.
Previous data
After the draw in the first leg (0-0), Deportivo Cali remains undefeated against Peruvian rivals in CONMEBOL competitions (4W 3E), leaving their goal unbeaten four times.
Melgar has nine games without losing at home in CONMEBOL Sudamericana (8V 1E). This is the best active streak among the teams that are still in the competition.
Deportivo Cali tied in three of their last five matches played in CONMEBOL competitions (W1 L1), after having tied in only three of their previous 22 (L9 L10).
Since the CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2022 group stage began, no player has given more shot passes than Alexis Arias, from Melgar (23).
Likely lineups
Deportivo Cali: William Of Amores; Aldair Gutierrez, William Burdisso, Germain Mera, Christian Mafla; Enrique Camargo, Jimmy Congo, Carlos Oaks (Santiago Mosquera), Teofilo Gutierrez, Kevin Velasco; Yony Gonzalez.
D.T.: Italo Cervino (E).
Melgar: Carlos Caceda; Alejandro Ramos, Alec Deneumostier, Leonel Galeano, Paolo Reyna; Alexis Arias, Jean Archimbaud, Luis Ibérico, Martín Pérez, Kevin Quevedo; Bernard Cost.
D.T.: Nestor Lawrence.
Estadio: Monumental of the UNSA.
Hour: 7:30 p.m.
TV: Directv Sports.
Referee: Facundo Tello (Argentina).
WAS: Juan Soto (Venezuela).
Juan Andres Arias Arias
Futbolred correspondent
Cali
And Twitter: @ AriasJuan_15
