Defensa y Justicia vs Independiente
Defensa y Justicia are currently finding trouble in the league. Last time out, the team succumbed to a devastating 1-0 away defeat to Newell’s Old Boys after conceding the winner just ten minutes before the final whistle. El Halcon collected a single point in the Liga Profesional so far, extending their winless streak to four league games (two draws and two losses). That streak displaced them from the Copa Sudamericana places in the aggregate table. On a positive note, Defensa are on four domestic matches unbeaten at their own stadium, having won three and drawn one in that time. On Wednesday 29, they lost 1-0 at home to Peru’s Universidad Cesar Vallejo in a Copa Sudamericana group game, when coach Francisco Meneghini had his debut at the club.
After Carlos Tevez’s departure, Independiente showed improvements but still found trouble to win. The 1-1 home stalemate against Velez Sarsfield under interim boss Hugo Tocalli means El Rojo accumulated just two points in three Liga Profesional rounds, also extending their winless streak to four league matches (three draws and one defeat) and failing to approach the continental spots in the aggregate table. On a positive note, Independiente lost only one of their eight away games in 2024, winning four and drawing three so far.
Too many missings for Defensa, including their best striker Nicolas Fernandez, defenders Ramos Mingo and Alexis Soto, among others. Independiente sill under an interim coach, they are just waiting for the Copa America break to regroup and start working under some new coach that should be appointed soon. I can see a game where both teams won’t risk much because they don’t have the tools to do it, so I’ll go for the UNDER.