CD Lara vs Emelec Predictions

Friday’s Copa Libertadores group stage action sees Venezuelans Deportivo Lara doing battle with Ecuadorian Emelec. The visitors arrive as favourites to claim all three points but plenty of action is expected at both ends of the pitch.

After finishing bottom of their group last year, conceding a huge 16 goals in just 6 matches in the process, hosts Lara will be hoping this year’s Libertadores participation will be a more fruitful one. Nonetheless with little resources compared to most of the sides in the competition, and placed in a group with Cruzeiro, Huracan and Emelec, it’s fair to say only an early exit looks on the cards for the Venezuelans.

That being said, Friday’s match does look the most winnable of the 6 games they;re set to contest and if they can secure victory, the momentum generated could see them battle higher up in the group. Having won their last 2 home games, and 2 of their 3 home group games last year, Lara are clearly a handy outfit on home soil and that’ll leave confidence high coming into Friday’s game, despite it being a tough one.

Meanwhile, Emelec were one of the Libertadores’ real disappointments last season, taking just 1 point from a group containing Santa Fe, River Plate and Flamengo and are expected to perform better this time around, with hopes high of challenging for a place in the last 16.

If they are indeed to advance from the group, this is a match they really need to take something from, given trips to Huracan and Cruzeiro rank as far bigger asks. Arriving in inconsistent form, having lost 2 and won 2 of their 4 competitive games so far in 2019, it’s hard to judge exactly where Emelec are right now but on paper, they are undoubtedly the stronger of the two sides here and this a game they should be aiming to win.

Ultimately, the bookies also view Emelec as comfortable favourites and it’s not too hard to see why. Although Ecuadorian football isn’t renowned for its supreme quality, it’s still a level above the Venezuelan domestic game and clubs from the latter have suffered terribly in continental competition in recent years.

Whilst we do feel Emelec will win Friday’s match, we see far better value elsewhere as far as the betting goes. Both teams know they need a result in the game and as such, an open game is expected to be in order, making backing both nets being hit the way to play. Both teams have scored in 5 of Lara’s last 6 Libertadores home games, as well as in 4 of Emelec’s last 6 Libertadores away games and we see both streaks being built upon via a 2-1 away win full time scoreline.