Friday morning, at 00:45 PM, Santa Fe receives the Santa Fe local rival visit, in the first round of the Sudera Cups semi-finals. This 100% Colombian duel can bring us a profit on a few goals between two bands that will be cautious in the first game.
The match will be held in Bogota, where Santa Fe starts as a favorite, but the home side is down the balance reigning in the last direct games. Santa Fe and Junior have drawn in the last two games, scores 2-2 and 1-1, and the last time one of the bands wound up with a bigger goal difference was just 2015 when Junior won ( 3-1).
Santa Fe is unbeaten by 5 games against Junior and, with the exception of the two draws mentioned above, scored in the last 4 direct duels and two short wins, 1-0. In the championship, Santa Fe is ranked 9th (goal 24-13), 8 points away from La Equidad leader. With a 7-7-4 score, Santa Fe is under the Junior in the standings. Friday’s guests are on the 6th place (goal 31-15) and have one of the best defenses in Colombia!
Junior arrived in the semifinals with great luck!
The shape of the moment seems to favor Santa Fe, which comes after 4 games in a row without defeat and won the last 3 official games in an impressive manner. The red-and-white Red Bulls were set on the side of the rival Deportivo de Cali (2-1) in the second half of the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals, and in the championship defeated bands like Deportes Tolima (3-0, 5th place in championship) and Leones (2-0). On the other side, Junior comes after a 3-0 sec on Petrolera’s ground, but he suffered hard in the quarter-finals of Southamerican cope: 1-3 in the return with Defensa Y Justicia, after 2-0 on his own arena.
In 4 of the last 5 games played by Junior scored a single team and the visiting team prefers to maintain a low tempo of games, favoring the duels with few goals. Considering the Friday night’s stake, it would be logical to bet on a similar game again. The Junior does not evolve openly, but the hosts will not risk too much. Most likely, the qualification will be decided in the return game.
PREDICTION: Over 1.5 goals @ 1.63
