Cienciano heads to Rio with a 6-1 lead over Botafogo and one foot in the Sudamericana quarterfinals

Six to one. That's how emphatic the blow was that Cienciano dealt Botafogo at the Garcilaso, and now the Cusco club needs just one more step to reach the final eight of the Copa Sudamericana. With that cushion in hand, the team travels to Rio de Janeiro to close out the series against a battered opponent that will need to make history to stay alive in the tournament.

The number alone is striking: overturning a five-goal deficit in South American soccer, on the road no less, is practically an impossible task. But Botafogo knows it has nothing to lose, and that can make it an even more uncomfortable opponent. The Brazilian side will come out from the first whistle looking to control the game, press high and take risks it either didn't take or didn't pull off in the first leg. That's the challenge for Cienciano: not getting swept up in that early rush.

Horacio Melgarejo, Cienciano's Argentine coach, will get a piece of news that couldn't come at a better time: Santiago Arias is back after serving his suspension. His return to midfield gives Melgarejo the chance to add an extra layer of protection against a Botafogo side that will be firing in crosses, dribbles and long balls with the urgency of a team that has no other option left. And this is no ordinary opponent: up front, Botafogo has Brazilian national team forward Danilo, the main threat for a Peruvian side that knows a single goal against could complicate the celebration, even though qualification is all but mathematically sealed.

The defensive work will be key. The wingers will have to track back constantly to cover the flanks, and the center backs need to stay alert on every ball into the box, knowing that the Nilton Santos will be loaded with pressure from the crowd. Melgarejo isn't the type of coach who parks the bus out of fear, so Cienciano will most likely look to defend in an organized, compact block while still holding onto the ball and striking when the space opens up.

Succar and Garces, the goal-scoring options

Matias Succar was the standout figure of the first leg with a hat trick that will stay in the memory of Cusco fans for a long time. For the return match, Cienciano also gets back Carlos Garces, who adds quality and danger to the attack. With that four-man attacking group that has already given several rivals trouble in this competition, the idea isn't just to hold on: there's also room to think about padding the lead and putting the series completely out of reach.

Cienciano knows it's in for a tough night. The players themselves say as much: the match won't be a simple formality, even though the aggregate result is all but decided. What the Peruvian side will look to do is stay calm, avoid giving anything away unnecessarily and, if the chance arises, punch its ticket to the quarterfinals with another statement result in Rio de Janeiro.

The match is set for Thursday, August 20, at 9:30 p.m. in Argentina and Uruguay, 8:30 p.m. in Chile and 7:30 p.m. in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Live coverage will be provided by DSports.