Guarani vs Independiente del Valle Betting Tips

The 1st Leg in Ecuador last week ended in a 1-0 win for Independiente courtesy of  a Luis Caicedo strike in the 1st half. It was a very solid result but Guarani are the bookies clear favourites to win the return leg so the tie still hangs in the balance.

It is Independiente who unquestionably are in the better form though although it is still very early days in their season. They were winners at the weekend in the league beating Deportivo Cuenca 2-1 and have won 4 of their last 5 games overall although 3 of those games were back in December.

They will though be wary of what happened in this competition at this stage last season. Having won the home leg 1-0, they were beaten 4-0 in Argentina by Estudiantes in the return to exit the Libertadores at the first hurdle. This though is likely to be a considerably lesser challenge against a Guarani side that are really struggling right now.

The Paraguayans enjoyed a great run in the competition last year to reach the Semi-Finals but they have lost a few players since then and are looking a shadow of that side at the moment and also have a new manager in the shape of Fabricio Bassa.

They haven’t won any of their last 6 matches in all competitions and have only scored once in 4 games so far this year. They’ve been humbled 3-0 at home by Deportivo Capiata in the league and were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Cerro Porteno at the weekend to at least pick up their first point of the new campaign.

They are bottom of the Paraguayan top flight and Independiente might just be able to take advantage of their woes here and secure at least a draw, something which they can be backed to do at 4/5.

They are likely to come with a cautious approach given how Guarani have been struggling for goals and at 13/2 can be backed to secure a 0-0 draw which would see them in to the group stage.