LDU Quito with One Foot Out of the Competition Host Boca Juniors’ Youngsters.

By: Mauro | October 1st, 2008

Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito vs. Club Atlético Boca Juniors (Estádio La Casa Blanca, Quito, Ecuador)

LIVE @ 3pm on Fox Sports Español. Gamecast here. Online TV here.

After the beating at the hands of a Boca Juniors’ side that included many of their youth players and alternate substitutions, LDU Quito find themselves in an unfavorable position. They basically need a miracle to qualify for the next round. Fortunately for them, the footy gods have served up an opportunity for them to take vengeance on their vanquishers. Boca coach Carlos Ischia, has traveled with almost exactly the same squad that thrashed the Libertadores Champions last week in Buenos Aires.

It seems that today’s LDU squad is not the same squad that won the Libertadores. I don’t think it takes a football genius to figure that one out. Without Joffre Guerrón (transferred to Getafe in Spain), Paraguayan Enrique Vera (transferred to Club América of Mexico) and injured defenders Argentine Norberto Araujo and Neicer Reasco, LDU is unable to find suitable substitutes for them. The attack breaks down when there is no surprise on the right (Guerrón) and the defense and midfield have problems stopping attackers from waltzing right into the area.

Fortunately for LDU fans, Patricio Urrutia, leading goal scorer for his team in the Copa Libertadores, will be back in his usual holding midfielder role and not a moment too soon. If they were weakest anywhere it was right in front of the defenders. It was right there where the Boca players were able to pick each other out in the crowd in front of LDU keeper Cevallos through the porous LDU defense.

Still, not all is lost for LDU. They had brought in Chilean striker Reinaldo Navia to pair up with Argentine striker Claudio Bieler – also to fill the hole that Guerrón left – and the Chilean has been settling in slowly but has adapted well to the team. Personally, I think that fielding them both might be a bit of a mistake because he and Bieler are so similar in position but I guess coach Edgardo Bauza is happy with it and there is a reason he’s a coach and I’m just a blogger, among other things.

While LDU are sort of stumbling through the Sudamericana, they are tops of the local league and have qualified through to the playoffs.

While Boca’s alternate side surprised all of South America last week, the starters were uninspiring this last weekend. They traveled to Mar Del Plata to play against local side Godoy Cruz, who is in their sophomore season in the Argentine Primera, and proceeded to get stomped 4-1, with a hat trick by re-appearing Colombian striker Jairo Castillo.

With that in mind, coach Carlos Ischia has traveled to the high altitude of Quito with the same starting XI that won so emphatically last week. Minus Leandro Gracián, who may start this match on the bench since he played at the weekend.

Boca has the luxury of losing this match and still qualifying, provided that LDU not score more than a 5 goal difference. But in reality, Boca can likely knock one in and then sit back and see what LDU do in reaction.

LDU need to come out of the gates and take this one from the get go. It’s going to take a miracle to advance but they could still put in a good performance for the fans.

Bottom Line: LDU have their work cut out for them and they haven’t been producing as well as they did earlier this year. Without a few key players they have been a shambles. Look for Urrutia to stabilize the midfield and help out on defense giving this side a different look. It’s a long shot for them to advance. Boca are in the driver’s seat despite playing at altitude. The youngsters will take the pitch for them again tonight saving their best cuts of beef (Riquelme, Palacio and Vargas) for the Argentine Apertura.

My Pick: 2-1 to Boca. I don’t expect Boca to open this one as wide open as the first leg but they will win because they are hungrier and well organized – provided they run like they did last week. LDU are just not able to compete on offense without Guerrón on the right. At least in an organized fashion. Otherwise, it’s long ball time.

Feel free to check the CONMEBOL website for results and information about upcoming matches and for those of you in need of a bracket to get your heads around the competition, get one here.