Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the fifth-round matches in the Copa Sudamericana group stage will take place on Thursday at the legendary Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, where local side Fluminense will host Unión Española. I'm offering a bet on the outcome of this clash with a promising odds value.
Match preview
"Flu" come into this fixture with a clear motivation to bounce back from recent setbacks. Losses to San José in Bolivia and Atlético Mineiro in the domestic league exposed some team weaknesses, but the home support at Maracanã could prove decisive. The stats at their fortress speak volumes: six matches unbeaten at home, five of them ending in victories.
Despite recent struggles, Fluminense remain upbeat—victory here would thrust them right back into the race for a direct ticket to the round of 16. Their attacking line continues to deliver, having scored in three of the last four matches, which bodes well against an opponent with a shaky defense.
The "Reds" are teetering on the brink of relegation in their domestic league and must fight for every ball to keep their Copa Sudamericana hopes alive. Their form is highly inconsistent: no wins in four Copa Sudamericana matches, yet a stunning 5-1 triumph over Deportes Concepción in the Chilean Cup last weekend.
Road games remain a major weakness for the visitors, which could be the deciding factor at Maracanã. Unión Española have managed just one win in their last ten away fixtures, suffering defeat in eight of those encounters.
Probable line-ups
- Fluminense: Fábio, St. Xavier, T. Silva, J. Freitas, G. Fuentes, F. Bernal, Mr. Martinelli, J. Arias, Nerogdenny, A. Canobbio, Everaldo
- Unión Española: F. Torgnascioli, S. Ramírez, V. Vidal, S. Pereira Arredondo, F. Espinoza, B. Jauregui, R. Vásquez, A. Uribe, I. Núñez, P. Aránguiz, Mr. Suárez
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the first round, Fluminense failed to beat their opponent away – 1:1
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet landed in two of Fluminense's five matches
- The "Both teams to score" bet was successful in two of Fluminense's five games
Prediction
Bookmakers have little doubt about a home victory. The odds for a "Flu" win are a modest 1.28. The recommendation here is "Fluminense to win with a -1.5 handicap" at odds of 1.85.
