Independiente Rivadavia hosts Fluminense in Mendoza for Copa Libertadores round of 16

Nil-nil. That was the score at the Maracana, and that's how everything arrives wide open in Mendoza. Nothing got settled in Rio de Janeiro, so now it all comes down to 90 minutes (or more) at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas. On Tuesday, August 18, starting at 7:00 p.m. (ARG/URU), Independiente Rivadavia hosts Fluminense in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16, and there's more than just a spot in the next round on the line.

For the team coached by Alfredo Berti, this is uncharted territory. The Mendoza club has never in its history reached the Libertadores quarterfinals, so a win, or even a draw with goals depending on how the match unfolds, would open a door that has never been opened before. No need to overstate it: the scoreless draw in Brazil was already a result the Lepra was satisfied with, and now they host the return leg with that hope still alive.

On the other side, Fluminense arrives under pressure. The Brazilian club is now without Luis Zubeldia on the bench and couldn't take advantage of home field in the first leg, so it now needs a win in Mendoza to stay alive in the tournament. It's not a comfortable spot for a team used to fighting for deeper runs in the Libertadores.

The names who could decide the tie

For Independiente Rivadavia, keep an eye on captain Alex Arce and the recent arrival from River, Maxi Salas, who could give Berti a different option off the bench. Matias Fernandez and Uruguayan Leonard Costa are also names to watch. Fluminense, under Marcao, leans on Hulk, Ganso, Thiago Silva, Agustin Canobbio and Yeferson Soteldo as its main references, a squad with more than enough experience to handle a tough match.

Neither team arrives in ideal form. Independiente Rivadavia comes in bruised after falling 2-0 on the road to Belgrano in the Torneo Clausura, with a goal from Emiliano Rigoni and an own goal by Tomas Bottari. Fluminense, meanwhile, arrives with confidence after edging Palmeiras 3-2 in the Brasileirao in a nail-biting finish: Kevin Serna and Hulk had put the match in Fluminense's favor, Mauricio and Gustavo Gomez had leveled it for Palmeiras, and it was German Cano who sealed the win for Flu in the 90+2 minute.

The most recent meeting between the two sides is exactly that scoreless first leg, played just a week ago, a result that left everything up in the air and forces both teams to go for the win in Mendoza.

The match will air live on the Disney+ Premium Plan, exclusively for South America, with kickoff confirmed for 7:00 p.m. in Argentina and Uruguay, 6:00 p.m. in Chile and 5:00 p.m. in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. One single match, with no second leg to fall back on, to determine who keeps dreaming of the quarterfinals.