San Lorenzo received Deportivo Cuenca at the Nuevo Gasómetro on the second date of the Copa Sudamericana group stage, with kickoff set for 21:30 in Argentina and the home side still chasing its first victory in the competition.
The match brought together two teams that arrived at different points in the standings after the opening round. San Lorenzo had opened with a 1-1 draw away against Recoleta, while Deportivo Cuenca came to Buenos Aires after beating Santos 1-0 and leading the group with 3 points from 1 match. The Ecuadorian side sought to repeat that start, while San Lorenzo carried 1 point from 1 match into a night that could shape the group early.
There was already movement elsewhere in Group D before the ball was kicked at the Nuevo Gasómetro. On Tuesday, Santos and Recoleta drew 1-1 in São Paulo, a result that left Recoleta on 2 points from 2 matches, Santos on 1 point from 2 matches, and kept the section tightly packed behind Cuenca. That left San Lorenzo with a clear chance to take control at home if it could turn its first draw into three points.
The backdrop made the game heavier than a normal group-stage fixture. San Lorenzo has had an irregular season and was not in qualification places in the Torneo Apertura, so the Sudamericana offered a separate route to momentum. Deportivo Cuenca’s opening win over Santos had already been described as a surprise, which made Jorge Celico’s team one of the early storylines of the group.
San Lorenzo's probable lineup included Orlando Gill, Ezequiel Herrera, Jhohan Romaña, Lautaro Montenegro, Nicolás Tripichio, Gonzalo Abrego, Manuel Insaurralde, Mathias de Ritis, Nahuel Barrios, Matías Hernández or Rodrigo Auzmendi, and Alexis Cuello. Deportivo Cuenca's probable lineup included Facundo Ferrero, Jeremy Chacón, Patricio Boolsen, Santiago Postel, Carlos Arboleda, Edison Vega, Lucas Mancinelli, Mateo Maccari, David González, Melvin Díaz, and Nicolás Leguizamón.
The tension in the group was simple. San Lorenzo needed a result at home to avoid letting a surprise leader widen the gap, while Cuenca arrived intent on protecting the edge it had earned in the first round. In a section this tight, the early points matter now because they shape who can breathe and who has to chase.