Lanus vs. Banfield
Lanús once again fell short of expectations in Matchday 13, as they struggled to cope with key absences and had to settle for a goalless draw at home against Platense. However, despite a slight dip in recent performances, El Granate have lost just one of their last five league matches — winning three and drawing one — which keeps them firmly in the playoff spots with 19 points in group A. At home, their record in the Torneo Apertura has been somewhat inconsistent, with two wins, two draws, and one defeat so far. On Wednesday, April 8, they lost at Brazil’s Mirassol FC 1-0 in their Copa Libertadores group stage opener. For Monday’s match, Ramiro Carrera returns from suspension and Walter Bou returns to league action after overcoming his muscle problem.
Banfield put up a fight against a clearly superior opponent last Monday, but it was not enough. Despite coming back from a two-goal deficit, they ended up losing 3-2 away to Argentinos Juniors, one of the standout teams in the league this season. As a result, they suffered their third defeat in the last four league matches, with just one win in that stretch, confirming a downturn in form. They have now collected only 13 points in the Torneo Apertura, falling behind in the race for the playoff spots and sitting four points below Huracán, who currently occupy eighth place in Group B. In fact, their inconsistency has been particularly evident away from home, where they are on a worrying six-match winless run —one draw followed by five consecutive defeats— highlighting their struggles on the road.
Even if they have an important midweek game in Libertadores, this is a big derby and I don’t expect Lanus to rest important players because this is a game they can’t afford to lose. Banfield can’t lose either as they are playing one of the last chances to get into the playoffs, so considering they both average one goal scored and conceded per game, I expect to see at least two in this derby.
BET: OVER 2 @ 1.79