Deportivo Cuenca vs CD Recoleta: prediction, H2H and probable lineups — 20.05.2026
Deportivo Cuenca
Recoleta
One of the matches of the fifth round of the South American Cup group stage will take place on Wednesday at the Alejandro Serrano Aguilar Stadium in Cuenca, where Deportivo Cuenca will host Paraguayan side CD Recoleta. Here’s my pick for the outcome of this clash+: the Ecuadorians are gaining momentum, while the visitors are far too inconsistent on the road to be considered equal favorites under the high-altitude conditions of Cuenca.
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Deportivo Cuenca
Deportivo Cuenca approach this game in fine form: the side is unbeaten in five consecutive matches and has kept back-to-back clean sheet victories — 1-0 over Libertad Loja and 1-0 against Guayaquil City. Before that, they earned a crucial 0-0 draw with San Lorenzo in the South American Cup and secured a 2-1 home win over Técnico Universitario, which perfectly reflects Jorge Célico’s current style — cautious, pragmatic, but always result-oriented.
The main question for Cuenca is finishing: 15 goals in 18 matches this season hardly speak of an attacking juggernaut. However, at home the Ecuadorians know how to dictate the tempo, use the altitude, the crowd pressure, and long spells of positional control — all crucial against an opponent who frequently loses structure away from home.
CD Recoleta
CD Recoleta remain in the hunt for a place in the knockout stage, but their recent results cast doubt on the team’s stability. The Paraguayans lost 2-3 to Olimpia and 2-3 to Sportivo Ameliano, drew 1-1 with Santos, and edged Cerro Porteño 2-1 — the attack is working, but the balance is constantly off.
Jorge Osmar González’s team have a clear strength — 36 goals in 25 matches this season showcase a solid attacking resource. Yet away from home, Recoleta have managed just one win in their last ten outings, and that’s the detail that makes this trip to Cuenca particularly daunting: here, it’s not enough to simply score — you also have to withstand the hosts’ pressure and tempo.
Probable lineups
- Deportivo Cuenca: Ferrero, Boolsen, Postel, Enrique, Mosquera, Maccari, Garcia, Gonzalez, Vega, Diaz, Ordoñez Galarce.
- CD Recoleta: Marsengo, Espínola Núñez, Monzón, Pereira, Figueredo, Ríos, Galeano, Walk, Parzajuk, Gujjari, Shupp.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Deportivo Cuenca are unbeaten in five straight matches and have kept clean sheets in their last two games.
- CD Recoleta have won just one of their last ten away matches in all competitions.
- The only head-to-head meeting between these teams ended in a goalless draw on Recoleta’s ground.
Prediction
Deportivo Cuenca currently look like the more organized and mature side: less chaos, better control in transition phases, and far greater reliability at the back. Sure, the hosts aren’t always dazzling in attack, but in this kind of match, it’s more important for them not to get into a shootout, but to gradually squeeze the opponent with territory and force mistakes under pressure.
Recoleta have the firepower to cause problems with their prolific frontline, but their away form and frequent defensive lapses make betting on the visitors too risky. With home advantage and their current unbeaten run, Cuenca should seize the moment to strengthen their position in the fight to advance from the group.
