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Other Football

LDU Quito coach Jorge Fossati is sure his team can overcome the first-leg defeat in the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals.

He wants his team to make it into the decisive round by beating Uruguay's River Plate.

The Ecuadorians lost 2-1 in Montevideo last week and must recover from that tomorrow night in Quito if they want to play their second international club final in two years. In 2008, they won the Copa Libertadores by beating Brazilian side Fluminense.

Fossati, himself a Uruguayan, said: "I think we'll feel less tired than last week, as the field was quite uncomfortable, harder than the one we are used to at home.

"We respect River, but I think we have what it takes to turn the score around. We have analysed our performance in the first leg and we think we can improve."

Veteran midfielder Ulises de la Cruz added: "We will be very strong at home and we are hopeful that we can clinch a result that will bring joy to our fans.

"Experience is important in a team that is used to playing this type of matches. We have to be calm and not nervous."

River coach Juan Ramon Carrasco does not fear playing at 2,850 metres above sea level or the heat after the match was rescheduled to be played at 5.15pm local time, two hours in advance of the initial scheduled kick-off time, due to the power crisis in Ecuador.

Carrasco said: "We must attack. We don't know how to play any other way. We know we are different than the other teams but it does not mean we score goals by chance or with an isolated chance. We'll play as normally as we can.

"I cannot reveal many tactical stuff, but I will only say we have analysed this match very carefully."

River goalkeeper Luciano dos Santos firmly believes his side can make history at the Estadio Casa Blanca tomorrow.

"We know how we play. We are calm," Dos Santos said.

"We play very well as the away side and tomorrow will not be an exception."

The winners of this tie play Fluminense of Brazil or Paraguayan giants Cerro Porteno.