Always Ready vs Mirassol

Mirassol can seal a historic Copa Libertadores round-of-16 berth in their debut campaign with victory here. The match was relocated from El Alto to Asuncion, Paraguay, stripping Always Ready of their feared altitude advantage amid ongoing political unrest in Bolivia. Mirassol arrive with three wins from four group games but are physically drained after a weekend defeat to Atletico Mineiro. Igor Formiga, Negueba, and Igor Carius are all ruled out injured, while Yuri Lara is doubtful. Shaylon and Carlos Eduardo remain the creative spark. Always Ready halted a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 demolition of Lanus, but the departure of top scorer Rodrigo Castillo to Fluminense leaves veteran Triverio shouldering the offensive burden alone. Neutral ground removes Always Ready's biggest weapon, and Mirassol have already proven their quality in this tie, winning the reverse fixture 2-0. Fatigue and absentees are a concern, but the lure of a first-ever knockout qualification should carry the Brazilians through. Our prediction: 0-1