Rosario Central vs Caracas Match Analysis & Prediction
17/05/2024 1:00 am
Requiring victory to keep their slim knockout-stage hopes alive, Caracas travel to Estadio Gigante de Arroyito on Friday for a date with Rosario Central on matchday five in the Copa Libertadores group stage.
A 1-0 home defeat to Atletico Mineiro dropped the Argentines down to third in Group G with four points, while La Rojos del Avila lost the same scoreline to Penarol and are dead last with just a single point.
Another slow start came back to burn Rosario on matchday four of this competition as they conceded the opening goal for a third successive time in the group stage.
That defeat put them outside of the top two and a spot in the knockout stage of the Libertadores, and in a difficult position as a loss or draw against Caracas combined with a Penarol win would put them out of contention for a berth in the last 16.
Since beating Penarol 1-0 on matchday one of this tournament, it has been rough going for Miguel Angel Russo’s and his side, who are winless in their last six matches across all competitions.
Victory on Friday would not only increase their odds of making the knockout stage of this competition for the first time since 2016, but it would also surpass their points total from 2019 (five), which was their previous appearance in the group stage.
Rosario have never lost to a Venezuelan opponent in the Copa Libertadores, winning three of five encounters all-time, including their only two home games against sides in the Venezuelan top flight.
Meanwhile, it is now or never for Caracas, who need maximum points from their final two group matches to have any hope of progressing into the knockout stage of this competition for the first time since 2009 (quarter-finalists).
The record 12-time champions of Venezuela have scored just two goals in this tournament so far, the joint second-lowest in the group stage, with only Brazilian side Gremio netting fewer (one).
Henry Melendez’s side have not won an away game in the group stage of the Libertadores since hanging onto a 3-2 victory over Colombian side Independiente Medellin in March 2020.
Los Rojos del Avila have secured just one victory on Argentine soil in this tournament, stunning River Plate with a 1-0 win at Estadio Mas Monumental during the 2007 group stage.
Rosario Central vs. Caracas Head to head
These two sides have only previously met on just one occasion, playing out a 1-1 draw.
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24/04/2024Caracas1Rosario Central1CONMEBOL Libertadores
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17/05/2024N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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17/05/2024N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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17/05/2024N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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17/05/2024Rosario CentralN/ACaracasN/ACONMEBOL Libertadores
Rosario Central Team News
Both Francis Mac Allister and Agustin Bravo sat out of the previous Libertadores match for Rosario with ACL issues, while Abel Hernandez was not available due to a thigh injury.
There were two newcomers in their starting XI on matchday four of this competition, with Jonatan Gomez and Agustin Modica coming in to replace Lautaro Giaccone and Tobias Cervera.
Rosario Central's Last 5 Matches
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11/04/2024Atletico Mineiro2Rosario Central1CONMEBOL Libertadores
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18/04/2024Rosario Central1Deportivo Riestra1Liga Profesional Argentina
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24/04/2024Caracas1Rosario Central1CONMEBOL Libertadores
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08/05/2024Rosario Central0Atletico Mineiro1CONMEBOL Libertadores
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11/05/2024Argentinos Juniors3Rosario Central2Liga Profesional Argentina
Caracas Team News
Caracas made three changes to their starting XI from matchday three to four, adding Frankarlos Benitez, Luis Casiani and Manuel Sulbaran to replace Wuilker Farinez, Piero Mollica and Ender Echenique.
Edwuin Pernia and Danny Perez are the only players to score for Los Rojos del Avila in this tournament, both of which came on home soil.
Caracas's Last 5 Matches
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11/04/2024Penarol5Caracas0CONMEBOL Libertadores
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15/04/2024Caracas2UCV2Primera Division
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20/04/2024Carabobo1Caracas0Primera Division
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24/04/2024Caracas1Rosario Central1CONMEBOL Libertadores
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08/05/2024Caracas0Penarol1CONMEBOL Libertadores
Rosario Central vs. Caracas: Odds and Predictions
Main Prediction
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