Bolivar vs Defensor Sporting Predictions

Wednesday’s Copa Libertadores first qualification round, first leg clash sees Bolivar doing battle with Uruguayans Defensor Sporting. The hosts will be aiming to use their high altitude, home advantage in order to open up a lead ahead of next week’s second leg.

After crashing out of the group stage of the Libertadores last year on goal difference, Bolivar come into the year looking for an improved showing in the competition. Nonetheless, before even thinking about the group stages, the hosts must first navigate the always tricky qualification rounds, starting with this tie.

Having kicked off 2019 with a 2-0 domestic away win at Wilstermann over the weekend, spirits are certainly high in Bolivar ranks and now La Academia are fully focused on getting the job done in this one. At over 3,600 metres above sea level, the Estadio Hernando Siles is always a very difficult to place to visit and having won their last 6 home games and gone 16 Libertadores fixtures unbeaten as hosts, Bolivar’s strength there is more than apparent.

As such, the task at hand is a simple one for Defensor Sporting; merely remaining in the tie ahead of the second leg. La Viola were knocked out of the group stage of the competition last year after taking just 4 points, but given the difficult of this trip, they;ll do well to even reach that point this campaign.

Indeed, Defensor have little experience of playing in such gruelling conditions and their overall away record inspires no confidence that they have any chance of securing a result on Wednesday. The side have recorded defeats in their last 3 away matches whist their Libertadores results as visitors rank for even worse reading; namely 5 losses from the last 6.

Ultimately, the altitude factor is such a huge one and cannot be understated. Bolivar are experts at wearing teams down in the energy sapping conditions and Defensor Sporting are highly unlikely to go home with any kind of result.That’s more than apparent in the prices on the full time line, with Bolivar huge favourites, but there still looks to be big value to be found in backing their win to be to nil and that line is exactly where our money is going at a more than reasonable price.

Bolivar’s last 4 home victories have been accompanied by clean sheets and with Defensor having failed to score in 4 of their last 6 Libertadores away games and set to bring an extremely defensive gameplan to the fore, a 2-0 home win could well be on the cards.