Cienciano dreams of comeback against Lanús in Copa Sudamericana

Peruvian club Cienciano faces a daunting task as they prepare to host Argentina's Lanús in Cusco for the second leg of their Copa Sudamericana tie. Trailing 2-0 from the first match in Buenos Aires, Cienciano must mount a comeback at the high-altitude Estadio Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, situated at 3,400 meters above sea level.

In the initial encounter at Lanús's stadium, 'La Fortaleza,' the Argentine side secured a hard-fought victory despite playing with ten men after the expulsion of Lucas Besozzi in the 62nd minute. Goals from Franco Watson and Ramiro Carrera gave Lanús a crucial advantage. Despite the scoreline, the match was reportedly closely contested, with Cienciano focusing on counter-attacks while Lanús capitalized on their chances and controlled possession in the latter stages.

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Everyone knows the difficulties that the height can present. I have to try to improve the approach we will use when trying to reverse this result, so that we don't suffer.

Cienciano's coach, Horacio Melgarejo, expressed confidence in his team's ability to turn the tie around, leveraging the challenging altitude of Cusco. "Everyone knows the difficulties that the height can present," Melgarejo stated, emphasizing his focus on improving the team's strategy to overcome the deficit without undue suffering. He remains "totally confident" in his players' determination to pursue victory.

This crucial match comes at a time when Cienciano is struggling domestically. The team has suffered consecutive defeats in the Peruvian Torneo Clausura, losing 3-1 to Melgar and 2-0 to Juan Pablo II. A victory against Lanús would not only advance them in the Copa Sudamericana but also provide a much-needed boost to their morale. The winner of this series will face Brazil's Botafogo in the round of 16.

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I am totally confident that my players are going to go for the victory.