Estudiantes vs Belgrano
Estudiantes couldn’t handle coach Eduardo Dominguez’s decision to rotate many of his regulars and ended up succumbing to a deserved 3-1 away defeat at River Plate, who became league champions last weekend. El Pincha are going through a disappointing spell in the context of a good campaign: they haven’t claimed any victories in the last six league games, drawing four and losing two. As a result, they remain on 39 points, trailing the last Copa Libertadores’ spot by three. On a positive note, Estudiantes are on 11 home matches unbeaten in domestic action, with six victories and five draws since losing to Lanus 2-0 in February. On Tuesday 18, Estudiantes beat Ecuador’s Barcelona SC 4-0 at home in the return leg of the Copa Sudamericana playoff, advancing to the round-of-16 via a 5-2 aggregate result.
Belgrano succumbed to an unlucky 1-0 home defeat to San Lorenzo’s alternative XI after showing a worrying ineffectiveness in the attack. The team are probably going through their worst spell this season: El Pirata are on four league games without a win (and without even scoring goals), drawing one and losing three since beating Banfield 3-1 at home in June. That streak displaced them from the Copa Sudamericana zone as El Pirata remain on 35 points, which is still a good campaign after getting promoted from the second level. Furthermore, Belgrano managed a single point across their last six away matches. Playmaker Bruno Zapelli has been sold to Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense and left the club.
Belgrano has struggled lately and they won’t have playmaker Zapelli anymore, while Estudiantes looked confident in their midweek win in Sudamericana so I’ll go with the hosts to continue their good run at home.