Copa Sudamericana: South America's Secondary Club Competition

Introduction:

The Copa Sudamericana is the second-tier club competition in South American football, after the Copa Libertadores. It's organized by CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation. The competition was created in 2002 as a way to provide more opportunities for clubs from smaller countries to compete in international tournaments.

Key Details:

* The format of the competition has changed over the years. The current format consists of a group stage followed by a knockout stage. * The group stage is divided into eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. * The knockout stage consists of a round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. * The winner of the Copa Sudamericana qualifies for the Copa Libertadores the following year.

Goals Scored:

* The 2023 Copa Sudamericana saw a total of 752 goals scored in 154 matches, an average of 4.88 goals per game. * The most goals scored in a single match was 9, in the match between Independiente del Valle and Deportivo Tachira in the group stage.

Top Scorers:

* The top scorer of the 2023 Copa Sudamericana was Santiago Garcia of Independiente del Valle, with 10 goals. * Other top scorers included: * Jhon Duque (Atletico Nacional) - 7 goals * Diego Churruca (Club Atletico Banfield) - 6 goals

Over 2.5 Goals (FT):

* 58% of matches in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana had over 2.5 goals scored.

Both Teams to Score (BTTS):

* 52% of matches in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana saw both teams score.

Corners:

* An average of 10.5 corners were awarded per match in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana.

Clean Sheets:

* 32% of matches in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana saw one or both teams keep a clean sheet.