Maracaibo Ramps Up for Another Home Stand.

By: Mauro | July 31st, 2008

Unión Atlético Maracaibo vs. América de Cali (Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela)

LIVE @ 5pm on Fox Sports Español. Gamecast it here. Online TV feed here.

Sorry I am uploading this so late in the evening. I was busy at work and had no time. Enjoy peeps.

Now after last night’s match, it tough to get excited about this one, but (and here’s my best effort) it features a team that has a respectable amount of relative success and history on the continent and another that had some surprise results against some truly tough opposition earlier this year and has a former Copa Libertadores winner in it’s line up.

You might remember Unión Atlético Maracaibo from their participation in this year’s Copa Libertadores. They played in Group 3 with Atlas of Mexico, Boca Juniors and Colo Colo of Chile but they ended the group stage in last place only managing 2 points, one of which was the competition opener against then-defending champs Boca. The other point came from another home stand to a very tough club, Atlas of Mexico who ended up on top of Group 3.

But since the end of the Libertadores, 16 players have left Maracaibo and the team features a ton of new faces, including Argentine’s Juan Manuel Herbella, Sebastían Alberto Battaglia (same name, but not the Boca player) and Roberto Armúa. Returning from an experience abroad is Daniel Arisemendi who played with Atlante in Mexico. Brazilian Marco Dias and Uruguayan Deibis Barone will most likely make the starting line up, as well as the aforementioned players, against the Colombian side.

Maracaibo’s is a modest club, their only local cup win came in the Venezuelan first division in 2005. And since this is Maracaibo’s first time participating in the Sudamericana and they’ll look to taking another debutant’s example, River Plate of Uruguay, of taking that first step and making it with the right foot.

Since this is a completely overhauled side, I think the load will fall on Maracaibo’s very experienced keeper and now captain, Juan Carlos Henao, whose heroic performance in the 2004 Copa Libertadores final helped win his squad, Once Caldas, the cup that year over Boca Juniors.

América de Cali are no slouches. This club has reached the finals of the Copa Libertadores in three consecutive years, from 1985-87 and again in 1996. SInce then they have fielded very good players, but Colombian football suffers from what the rest of the continent does, player poaching.

The players go so quickly and young that it’s almost impossible to find replacements for them. So their teams end up being much weaker than the players they produce would indicate. Still given the organization of Colombian football, it’s quite an acheivement that Colombian teams have ever won the Libertadores at all (Atlético Nacional in 89 and Once Caldas in 04).

But not all were close misses for América, they picked up a Copa Merconorte win (see my initial entry about the Copa Merconorte) in 1999 and a laundry list of local Mustang Cup wins (12 in all).

The club is looking to receive the transfers of a few players including José Moreno, Wilmer Parra and Argentine striker Rodrigo Astudillo who will not eligible for tonight’s match without the proper paperwork. Also returning from injury is keeper, Rafael Dudamel, who is the starting keeper for the Venezuelan national team. Still, look for Uruguayan Adrían Berbia to take the spot under the posts.

Bottom Line: Maracaibo is fielding many players that have little time together on the pitch and that could become a bigger problem than coach Nelson Carrero wants. América has more history but really, this is their first international competition this year and the rigors of playing midweek and the weekend could take it’s toll on the staff and players should they advance past this stage of the tournament.

My Pick: Since I’ve sucked so much ass in my first two match predictions I’m going with the opposite of what my gut tells me. So this one is going to end up 2-1 to the home side. Venezuelan teams have great luck against Colombian teams, just ask the national team, and this one won’t disappoint. Enjoy.

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.