Santa Fe heads to Buenos Aires confident it can hurt River Plate

Zero goals, but not zero hope. That 0-0 at El Campin last week gives Independiente Santa Fe reason to travel to Buenos Aires believing something real: it can hurt River Plate. The Colombian side didn't win, but it didn't lose either, and more importantly, it created the clearest chances of the match. The post, the crossbar and a save from Santiago Beltran were all that kept El Leon from taking a lead into the flight to Argentina.

The key was the press. Whenever Santa Fe pushed its lines forward and went hunting for the ball near River's box, River genuinely struggled. In the first half, that approach worked so well that Pablo Repetto's team spent long stretches playing in River's own half. One number sums it up best: River managed just three shots across the full 90 minutes. The intensity dropped off in the second half, but the idea had already taken root: pressing River high up the field pays off.

And that's precisely where Santa Fe may look to find the crack to exploit at the Monumental. River hasn't looked solid trying to play out from the back, and its most recent match confirms it. On Sunday, against Velez, River went up 2-0 and ended up drawing 2-2 after two self-inflicted errors in buildup. A bad pass in its own half led to Diego Valdes pulling one back, and shortly after, Manuel Lanzini leveled the score.

Coudet, self-critical

Eduardo Coudet didn't hide his frustration after that draw.

The three points slipped away from us.Eduardo Coudet

The coach admitted his team's mistakes are proving costly, and that's exactly what Santa Fe needs to replicate at the Monumental: force uncomfortable passes, press every buildup and stay alert for any turnover near the back line. Those spaces opened up in Bogota, even if the Colombian side couldn't turn them into a goal. Against Velez, those same lapses ended up costing River a victory that had seemed all but secured.

Pablo Repetto was clear about what it means to play away in a knockout tie of this magnitude.

River Plate at home is going to be different, when you play stages like this in knockout competition you have to be strong at home, they're the favorites. We've put in good away performances and we can compete to reach the next round.Pablo Repetto

Winning at the Monumental is never easy, but recent numbers give Santa Fe something to work with. Since play resumed after the World Cup, River has played four official matches at home: it lost 1-0 to Barracas Central, fell 1-0 to Rosario Central on a Nicolas Otamendi own goal, drew 2-2 with Velez after squandering a two-goal lead, and won just once, 2-0 over Argentinos Juniors. Across those four games, River scored four goals and conceded four, unusual numbers for a team that has historically been strong on its own turf.

Santa Fe already proved in Bogota that it can make life difficult for this River side. Now it's time to find out whether those same weaknesses resurface under the pressure of a knockout night at the Monumental. The second leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 is set for Wednesday, August 26, at 7:30 p.m. Colombia time, at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.