LDU Quito vs Universidad Catolica del Ecuador Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Tuesday’s Ecuadorian Serie A action features a crunch clash between leaders LDU Quito and Universidad Catolica. The hosts will be looking to all but wrap up the opening phase title by claiming the 3 points.

Winning the match would put LDU 6 points ahead of closest rivals Barcelona with just two matches left to play and would also put their opponents here, who stand in third, totally out of the reckoning. LDU have not tasted the overall title since 2010 and after an underwhelming season last year, Los Albos performance in the current phase has certainly came out of the blue, but few can deny they deserve to be where they are.

Pablo Repetto has done a great job since coming in during crisis last season and has totally transformed the side. LDU have the league’s tightest defence and are yet to lose a home match this campaign, winning 7 of the 9 games contested, whilst scoring an impressive average of 2 goals a game, leaving confidence very high coming into the match.

Meanwhile, Universidad Catolica have put in a great opening half to the campaign. Like LDU, Los Santos have improved massively on what they produced last season, where they ended 9th on the 12 team aggregate table and no matter what happens in this game, Santiago Esobar’s troops have ensured they’ll be in the mix for a continental spot come the end of the year.

Nonetheless, still holding faint hopes of stealing the opening phase crown from LDU’s clutches, the visitors will be going all out for the win, with only claiming the three points of any real use. However, having conceded an average of 1.8 goals a game over their last 5 away matches and with 3 of their 4 defeats this season having came on the road, Catolica’s prospects of doing exactly that don’t look the brightest.

Ultimately, LDU look destined to wrap up top spot and have great momentum behind them. They’re extremely powerful on home territory and we just can’t see them buckling, making backing a home win the way to play at reasonable odds.

Catolica are not a bad side, evidenced by their proximity to LDU but they aren’t as convincing on their travels as LDU are as hosts and LDU should be able to exploit the gaps the visitors leave, due to their need to chase the game. All things considered, LDU should have a bit too much firepower for Catolica here, with a 2-1 margin of victory on the cards, a scoreline seen in 4 of LDU’s last 8 home matches.