The Italian side will push to edge closer to reaching the Round of 16 as they travel to visit the Academy, positioned at the bottom of Group E.
Audax Italiano made the switch to the Tahuichi Ramón Aguilera Costas Stadium to test themselves against Blooming in a fifth-round fixture of the Copa Sudamericana 2023 group stage.
Led by Luca Marcogiuseppe, the squad arrives in buoyant mood for this encounter after briefly falling behind against Santos in Rancagua, a setback they overcame to take a significant step toward advancing. They currently sit second in Zone E, ahead of Newell’s with a flawless record so far.
It is worth noting that Audax Italiano has not lost in their last three matches in the competition, recording two wins and one draw. The last time they went three games without defeat was back in the 2007 edition.
For their part, the Academia side endured a defeat against the Leopards, allowing Gabriel Heinze’s crew to string together two away wins in CONMEBOL tournaments after a drought that stretched 31 matches without victory since March 1992 (a 1-0 win over San Lorenzo and a 2-1 win at Coquimbo Unido). Consequently, the Academy suffer their worst continental streak, losing four straight and leaving them anchored at the bottom with zero points. The Bolivian club has a goal difference of two for and nine against.
It should be remembered that on the third matchday the Tanos claimed a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Gonzalo Sosa and Gonzalo Ríos and have won six of their last seven home games.
Previous notes:
- The Bolivian clubs have lost only one of their last four meetings with Chilean opponents in CONMEBOL Sudamericana, a 0-2 defeat to Everton in 2022.
- Three of Audax Italiano’s four group-stage goals in the 2023 CONMEBOL Sudamericana came from headers, the highest proportion of any side to date (75%).
The match between the Academy and the Italians can be watched live on DSports (610 in SD and 1610 in HD), with streaming available via DGO. Satellite customers can access the platform at no extra cost. If you are not a DIRECTV customer but want to sign up for DGO, visit directvgo.com to explore available plans and prices.
Note: This write-up omits personal sources and focuses on team performance, historical context, and current standings to provide a concise, informative preview.