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Game: Club América vs. Deportivo Saprissa
Date: Wednesday, February 28th
Time: 10:00 PM Eastern, 9:00 PM Central, 7:00 PM Pacific, 3:00 AM UTC
Venue: Estadio Azteca (Mexico City)
Television: United States - Univision Deportes; Mexico - Fox Sports 2
Streaming: Univision Deportes app, Fanatiz, fuboTV (Free trial + monthly subscription), Sling (Free trial + monthly subscription)
Club América comes into their midweek clash against Deportivo Saprissa with a commanding 5-1 aggregate lead after their first leg match in Costa Rica. The Mexico City squad was simply too much for one of Costa Rica's most successful clubs both domestically as well as internationally.
In all actuality, the CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 second leg matchup in Mexico City is little more than a formality between the two teams. Miguel Herrera is expected to start a rotated squad in response to the massive aggregate lead that his team won on their visit to Costa Rica. Even with this rotated squad, it would require a highly unlikely 5 goal victory from Deportivo Saprissa to grant them passage to the tournament’s quarterfinals.
For Club América this game will be all about giving fringe players an opportunity to get some match action and potentially earn their way into the starting XI. Look for players like Henry Martin, who has lost his regular starting spot to Jérémy Ménez, to be given opportunities in the starting XI.
For Saprissa, this match will be all about salvaging what remains of the team’s pride in the CONCACAF Champions League. Elimination is all but assured for el Monstruo Morado, however, miracles are possible. Expect the Costa Rican side to come out with energy at the beginning of the match in an attempt to stun Mexico’s winningest team and advance to the quarterfinals.
Barring a failure of epic proportions, it should be Club América advancing to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions league. A 5-1 aggregate lead looks like it will be just too much for the visitors from Costa Rica to overcome.