Universidad de Chile Faces Alianza Lima in Sudamericana Quarterfinals

LIMA, Peru – Universidad de Chile will face Alianza Lima on Thursday, September 18, in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals. The match is set to kick off at 9:30 PM local time at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva.

The team, led by coach Gustavo Álvarez, is looking to build on their recent success after winning the Supercopa against Colo Colo with a decisive 3-0 victory. However, they will be without key players Israel Poblete, Nicolás Ramírez, and Lucas Di Yorio, who did not travel due to injuries.

Álvarez has decided to maintain the same formation that proved effective in the Supercopa. This will include Marcelo Díaz in midfield and Nicolás Guerra in attack, positions left vacant due to the absences. The lineup for Universidad de Chile will feature Gabriel Castellón in goal, with a defensive line of Fabián Hormazábal, Franco Calderón, and Matías Zaldivia.

In their previous Copa Sudamericana match, Universidad de Chile advanced to the quarterfinals after ending a game that was fraught with controversy against Independiente. The match ended 1-1, but CONMEBOL ruled in favor of Universidad following severe incidents in Argentina.

On the other hand, Alianza Lima is coming off a mixed performance in the local league, recently losing 4-3 to Deportivo Garcilaso. They have shown defensive vulnerabilities and will be looking to bounce back. In their last Copa Sudamericana match, they managed to beat Universidad Católica by 2-1.

Despite the disadvantage of not having their fans present due to sanctions from a previous incident, Universidad de Chile is focused on securing a strong result. According to Guerra, “We will go in to plan the match, play it, and aim to win. The only downside is not having our supporters with us.”

The outcome of this match is crucial for both teams as they prepare for the return leg in Santiago. A good performance can set the tone for advancing to the semifinals, where they could face Fluminense or Lanús.