River Plate host Santa Fe on August 27, 2026, in the second leg of their Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 tie. Kick-off is scheduled for 00:30 local time at Estadio Mâs Monumental, with the contest finely balanced after a goalless first leg on August 20. River enter the return fixture with home advantage and an unbeaten Copa Sudamericana record, but Santa Fe have also avoided defeat in the competition and arrive with strong defensive numbers. With neither team able to score in the opening meeting, the decisive match could once again be shaped by patience, defensive discipline and a limited number of clear opportunities.

River Plate Recent Form and Key Statistics

River Plate have experienced an inconsistent recent sequence, recording one victory, two draws and two defeats across their last five matches. During that period, they averaged 0.8 goals scored and 0.8 conceded per game. Their latest result was a 2-2 draw against Vélez Sarsfield on August 23, when River were unable to protect a two-goal advantage. That outcome extended a difficult domestic run in which they have won only one of six matches.

There were nevertheless encouraging individual signs in the draw with Vélez Sarsfield. Ángel Correa found the net and has now scored twice in his last three appearances, while Thiago Almada produced several dangerous contributions despite also making an error that led to an opposition goal. Sebastian Driussi, meanwhile, has registered two goals in the current Copa Sudamericana campaign. Alongside Rafael Borré, these players give River several potential sources of inspiration in a tie that remains level.

River's continental results have been considerably more stable than their latest overall form. They have collected four wins and three draws without a defeat in the Copa Sudamericana, averaging 1.3 goals scored and only 0.4 conceded. They finished at the top of their group and secured seven points from their three home group matches. That record provides an important foundation as they prepare to take the initiative in the return leg.

The home side's statistics point towards controlled rather than high-scoring football. Their modest recent scoring average is accompanied by an equally low defensive average, while the first leg demonstrated that they can remain competitive even when their attack does not produce a breakthrough. Another relevant trend concerns corners, with under 7.5 corners recorded in each of River Plate's last four matches.

Santa Fe Recent Form and Key Statistics

Santa Fe travel for the second leg in solid form. Their last five fixtures have produced two victories and three draws, leaving them undefeated over that sequence. They averaged 1.2 goals scored and 0.4 conceded per game, while their latest outing ended in a 0-0 draw against América de Cali on August 22. The Colombian side have therefore recorded consecutive goalless results heading into this decisive fixture.

The visitors have also maintained an unbeaten record in this Copa Sudamericana campaign, with two wins and one draw. Their competition averages stand at 1.7 goals scored and 0.0 conceded per match. Those figures reflect the defensive reliability that was visible in the first leg, when Santa Fe kept River away from goal for long periods and completed the match without conceding.

Their wider match trends reinforce the expectation of a cautious contest. Fewer than 3.5 total goals have been scored in Santa Fe's last 10 Copa Sudamericana fixtures, while their previous 12 matches have all featured under 1.5 first-half goals. The same first-half trend has occurred in each of their last 10 games in this competition. In addition, at least one team has failed to score before the interval in Santa Fe's last 22 matches, and they have not been behind at half-time in 29 of their previous 30 fixtures.

Hugo Rodallega remains an important attacking reference for Santa Fe and has scored twice in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana. At the other end, Emmanuel Olivera has been a significant part of the defensive line. Santa Fe's challenge is to reproduce the resilience of the first meeting while also finding enough attacking threat to advance away from home.

River Plate vs Santa Fe Match Analysis

The 0-0 first leg leaves no advantage on the scoreboard, but River Plate have several statistical factors in their favour. The supplied win probabilities give the hosts a 62% chance of victory, compared with 23% for a draw and 15% for Santa Fe. River are also unbeaten in seven Copa Sudamericana matches this season and have conceded an average of just 0.4 goals in the tournament.

The recent head-to-head summary also favours River, who have registered two wins and three draws without a defeat in the listed meetings with Santa Fe. Across that sample, River averaged only 0.6 goals scored and 0.2 conceded, again indicating that these encounters have generally offered little space on the scoresheet. The latest meeting added another goalless draw to that pattern.

Santa Fe's defensive consistency means home advantage alone may not produce an open match. The visitors have conceded no goals on average in their three Copa Sudamericana fixtures, have gone two consecutive matches without either side scoring, and repeatedly reach half-time without a high goal count. River, meanwhile, have enough individual quality to decide a close tie but have averaged fewer than one goal per match across their latest five games.

The goal-market probabilities consequently lean towards a restrained encounter. Under 2.5 goals is rated at 56%, while Both Teams To Score No carries a 59% probability. Although River are expected to apply more pressure at home, Santa Fe's unbeaten recent run and strong first-half record suggest that the hosts may need patience. A single breakthrough could substantially change the tie, yet the available evidence does not strongly support a high-scoring return leg.

River Plate vs Santa Fe prediction from BetMines: Under 2.5 goals with 56% probability.