Santos FC will have to win on Tuesday against Deportivo Cuenca if it wants to stay alive in the Copa Sudamericana playoffs race, as the Brazilian side is missing the injured Neymar and sits last in Group D with four points. A victory at Vila Belmiro would allow Santos to climb into second place and secure a spot in the knockout-style playoff round, where teams eliminated from the Copa Libertadores enter the competition. Deportivo Cuenca, meanwhile, arrives with six points and still has a chance to finish first in the group and advance directly to the round of 16.
The final matchday in Group D is tightly balanced. San Lorenzo leads the group with seven points and will face Paraguayan side Deportivo Recoleta, which has five. Santos needs not only to beat Cuenca, but also to rely on a favorable result in the other match. If San Lorenzo wins or draws, Santos will qualify if it also takes all three points at home. If Recoleta beats San Lorenzo, Santos must win and also overturn a three-goal deficit in the overall goal difference, since the Brazilian and Argentine clubs are level on head-to-head results after drawing both of their meetings.
Deportivo Cuenca also has a clear path to qualification. The Ecuadorian team will advance directly to the next stage if it defeats Santos and the other group match ends in a draw. If Cuenca draws in Brazil, it can still reach the playoffs as long as Recoleta does not win in Argentina. The group’s final standings will therefore depend on both matches, with Santos fighting to extend its continental campaign and Cuenca hoping to secure a better finish or a direct ticket to the round of 16.
