Argentinos Juniors vs Lanus Predictions

Friday’s Superliga Argentina action features a clash between close neighbours Argentinos Juniors and Lanus. The hosts will be looking to pick up their first win of the season against a Lanus side in crisis mode.

As happy as Argentinos will be to have held giants River Plate to a 0-0 draw last weekend, they’ve now only taken two points from their opening 3 outings and are yet to score a goal, something they’ll be looking to rectify in this match as they to put in a showing of greater attacking quality.

El Bicho finished an impressive 12th upon their return to the top flight last season but having lost attacking duo Lucas Barrios and Nicolas Gonzalez, it was always likely to be a slow start as the team’s new attackers look to bed in. Nonetheless, having won 9 of their 14 home games at the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona last season, and having recorded wins in 4 of their last 6 home outings, confidence is high in Argentinos ranks coming into Friday’s game.

The same cannot be said for visiting Lanus. If ever proof was needed that just over half a year is a long time in football, then El Granate’s case is the perfect example. At the end of 2017, Lanus finished runners up in the Libertadores, proving themselves as one of the continent’s stronger outfits, but the loss of then manager Jorge Almiron and several key players have transformed the side into one that’s struggling greatly on the domestic front.

Almiron’s replacement, Ezequiel Carboni struggled since taking over at the start of the year and after losing at home to newly promoted Aldosivi last weekend, following a cup defeat to second tier Atletico Rafaela, has been axed, with interim boss Rodrigo Acosta now facing the difficult task of raising spirits in a squad short of quality and confidence.

Ultimately, Lanus have been fairly dreadful throughout the entirety of 2018, something evidenced by the fact they’ve won just 2 of their 19 league matches contested this year. Said statistics have them looking up against it travelling to an opponent that is typical a force on their own patch and matters are only made worse by star player Lautaro Acosta’s absence through injury.

Taking all of the above into account, it becomes apparent that a bet on Argentinos to win the match looks the best way to play and that’s where our money is going. While they’re yet to really get going this campaign, this match looks the perfect opportunity to do exactly that and we envisage them piling on Lanus’ misery with a 1-0 margin of victory.