Emelec vs Huracan Predictions

Friday’s Copa Libertadores group stage action features an interesting looking clash between Ecuadorians Emelec and Argentines Huracan. The hosts arrive as favourites to edge what should be a tight game.

After crashing out of the group stage with a measly 1 point in last season’s edition of the Libertadores, Emelec are looking for a more successful continental campaign this time around. The side picked up a solid, if unspectacular, point from last week’s trip to Venezuelans Deportivo Lara to kick off the group, but will want to get fully off the mark with a win in Friday’s clash.

Emelec have been a bit inconsistent in 2019 so far, winning just 2 of their 6 competitive outings, but confidence should still be very high coming into this game, given how strong they are in home soil. Indeed, El Bombillo have lost just 1 of their last 17 home games and having also won 13 of those matches, it’s apparent they’re a real force at the Estadio George Capwell.

Meanwhile, visitors Huracan lost their own group opener 1-0 at home to Cruzeiro, leaving them in a tough position now if they are to advance from the group. El Globo had been confident of a good run in the competition but 2019 has been a miserable year for them so far and they arrive in terrible form.

Indeed, Gustavo Alfaro’s decision to swap the Huracan dugout for the Boca one has clearly affected the team and current boss Antonio Mohamed is struggling to generate any kind of momentum upon his return to the club. The Argentines come into this match without a win in 7 and having scored just 4 goals over said fixtures, it’s not really hard to see why.

Ultimately, we’re expecting a tight game with quite a lot at stake, but Emelec have to be fancied on home soil. They’re very powerful as hosts and tend to get the job done and that should be the case once again, against a Huracan outfit in dire form and low on morale.

All things considered, we’re more than happy to back Emelec winning the match and feel the price on offer for a home win provides good value. Huracan are conceding goals too easily, are struggling to score them themselves and that leads us to conclude that they are unlikely to take anything from the game, with a 1-0 Emelec win on the cards.