A disappointing Apertura is almost behind them, but Arsenal de Sarandí have an opportunity to make history on Wednesday night all the same. They carry a 3-2 aggregate lead into the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against América de Mexico, after Friday night’s astonishing win the Azteca.
The match will be played in Racing’s stadium (Arsenal’s own being much smaller), and the visitors will be sticking with the same starting XI which lost that brilliantly see-sawing first leg. Arsenal, of course, can’t do that due to Sebastián Casteglione’s suspension. Israel Damonte will come in for him.
Away goals will count should the aggregate score end up level – so América need to win by two goals at least (or alternatively to win 4-3, 5-4 etc.). Arsenal, it’s worth recording at this juncture, are unbeaten so far in the competition, and in the second leg of the semi-final against River in the Monumental, Mario Cuenca demonstrated that even when his defence can be got round, it’s still not easy to beat him in between the sticks.
Arsenal, then, have a very real chance to do something spectacular. Here’s how the teams will line up…
Arsenal de Sarandí (manager Gustavo Alfaro):
Cuenca
Gandolfi —- Mosquera —- Matellán —- Díaz
Villar —- San Martín —- Damonte —- Yacuzzi
Calderón —- Gómez
América de México (manager Daniel Brailovsky):
Ochoa
Castro —- R. Rojas —- Davino —- O. Rojas
Villa
Argüello ——– Silva
Insúa
Cabañas —- López
Hasta El Gol Siempre 