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Sporting Cristal will host Universidad Catolica on Thursday as the hosts look to pick up their first win of this season's Copa Libertadores.
Both outfits are struggling for form and currently occupy the last two slots of Group H.
Universidad Catolica missed out on an epic comeback performance against Flamengo in their last Copa Libertadores fixture despite rallying from being 3-0 down in the 86th minute to narrowly lose 3-2.
The hosts, on the other hand, are one of the two outfits in the Copa Libertadores this season that are yet to open their account. While qualification for the next round looks bleak, they still have a chance to qualify for the Copa Sudamericana.
Sporting Cristal vs Universidad Catolica Head-to-Head
The two clubs have squared off against each other once, with the visitors picking up their only win of the tournament so far against a 10-man Sporting Cristal.
Sporting Cristal form guide (in Copa Libertadores): L-L-L
Universidad Catolica form guide (in Copa Libertadores): L-W-L
Sporting Cristal vs Universidad Catolica Team News
Sporting Cristal
Cristian Carbajal, Fernando Pacheco and Martín Távara are all nursing injuries and are out of contention for this match.
Injuries: Cristian Carbajal, Fernando Pacheco and Martín Távara
Suspension: None
Universidad Catolica
Luciano Aued remains sidelined with a heart condition. Apart from that, there are no known injuries or suspension concerns for Universidad Catolica.
Injuries: None
Suspension: None
Unavailable: Luciano Aued
Sporting Cristal vs Universidad Catolica Predicted XI
Sporting Cristal (4-3-3): Renato Solís; Johan Madrid, Gianfranco Chávez, Omar Merlo, Nilson Loyola; Horacio Calcaterra, Jesús Castillo, Christofer Gonzáles; Irven Avila, Percy Liza, Leandro Sosa
Universidad Catolica (3-4-3): Sebastian Kirby (GK); Alfonso Rojas, Nahuen Paz, Branco Ampuero; Cristian Cuevas, Juan Leiva, Felipe Gutierrez, Raimundo Rebolledo; Diego Buonanotte, Fernando Zampedri, Gonzalo Tapia
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Sporting Cristal vs Universidad Catolica Prediction
Both teams are rooted to the bottom of Group H and will hope for a quick turnaround of fortunes in this fixture. A win for the visitors will ensure that they will at least make it to the Copa Sudamericana.
The hosts will have to show more spirit and guile as their own progress looks rather bleak. A win in this tie could give them some hope for longer participation in South America.
However, Universidad Catolica look well on their way to picking up all three points.
Prediction: Sporting Cristal 1-3 Universidad Catolica
