CA Cerro vs Bahia Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Thursday’s Copa Sudamericana second round, second leg action features a clash between Uruguayans Cerro and Brazilians Bahia. The visitors will be looking to hold onto the 2-0 lead they established in the first leg.

Cerro were running along nicely until said match a couple of weeks ago. They travelled to Brazil 15 matches unbeaten and confident of causing an upset but were outclassed, with Bahia comfortable winners on the night. The disappointment of falling to defeat seems to have halted Cerro’s momentum, as they want on to record an awful 5-0 defeat on home soil in their last outing and morale in the Villero camp is certainly nowhere near where it once was.

Now without a win in 5 matches overall, Cerro are clearly not in the best of shape and asking them to overturn a 2-0 deficit looks a big ask. The hosts have won just 1 of their last 5 outings at the Estadio Luis Tróccoli and whilst they should be more competitive on their own patch than they were in the away leg, they don’t look like salvaging their continental lives.

That’s because Bahia arrive in much improved shape. The visitors had been enduring a miserable campaign but currently 6 matches unbeaten across all competitions, things are certainly looking on the up. Tricolor are hovering just above the relegation zone in domestic action but will pull further clear of it if the can retain current performance levels, but for now all focus is on this tie and progressing to the next round.

Bahia’s issues in 2018 have exclusively came on the road, so the fact they are starting to pick up results there is a real positive. The side have lost just 1 of their last 25 games on home soil but had previously put together a run of 6 defeat from 7 away from home. Nonetheless, having drawn their last two on their travels 1-1, greater resolve is being shown and those that take to the field will be looking to show that once more.

It was always going to be a big ask for Cerro to eliminate Bahia. As strong a form as they came into the tie with, the difference between the two in terms of finance and squad depth is substantial and the visitors undoubtedly are the stronger outfit of the two.

Thus, with so much work to do, we cannot envisage Cerro turning this one around and instead see great value in backing the draw. Cerro have drawn 3 of their last 5 home games as well as 5 of their last 9 matches overall and with their opponents on a run of consecutive 1-1 draws as visitors, that’s a scoreline we feel the match will finish with.