San Lorenzo hosted Deportivo Cuenca at 21.30 on the second date of Group D in the Copa Sudamericana, with the match at the Pedro Bidegain carrying immediate consequences for the standings. Yender Herrera, the Venezuelan referee, was in charge, and the game could be watched on DSports.
San Lorenzo entered the night with a chance to move to the top of the group if it won, a reward built on how tight the section had already become. In its debut, San Lorenzo drew 1-1 with Deportivo Recoleta in Asunción, while Recoleta followed that by taking a point at Santos on Tuesday. That result left Group D compressed, and it gave San Lorenzo a clearer read on what it needed at home.
Deportivo Cuenca arrived with more confidence after beating Santos 1-0 in its opening Copa Sudamericana match as the home team, even if it sat fifth in its domestic tournament. Jorge Celico chose to rest some starters over the weekend to keep his squad fresh for the trip, a decision that underlined how seriously the Ecuadorean side viewed the match in Buenos Aires.
San Lorenzo, meanwhile, was trying to steady itself after a 0-0 draw with Newell's on Sunday. Gustavo Alvarez made two changes to the team, bringing back Nicolás Tripichio after he missed the Newell's match because of accumulated yellow cards and inserting Matías Hernández for Rodrigo Auzmendi. Orlando Gill started in goal, with Ezequiel Herrera, Jhohan Romaña and Lautaro Montenegro also in the lineup.
Deportivo Cuenca's probable lineup featured Facundo Ferrero, Jeremy Chacón, Patricio Boolsen, Santiago Postel, Carlos Arboleda, Edison Vegena, Lucas Mancinelli, Mateo Maccari, David González, Melvin Díaz and Nicolás Leguizamón. San Lorenzo knew it needed a win to turn a cautious start into a statement, and the crowd at the Pedro Bidegain was watching for whether Alvarez's changes would be enough to pull it to the front of Group D.
