Deportes Temuco vs Estudiantes de Merida Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Wednesday’s Copa Sudamericana first round, second leg action sees Chileans Deportes Temuco playing host to Venezuelans Estudiantes Merida. With the scores currently level after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the visitors will be looking to pile the misery on the home side and advance.

Indeed, whilst it should be a great time to be a Temuco fan, with this the club’s first ever continental home game, things are not well in Albiverde ranks. The hosts earned the right to contest the Sudamericana with a fantastic 6th placed finish last season, but look like being relegated this year if performances don’t improve swiftly.

After 12 games, Dalcio Giovagnoli’s troops lie bottom on 7 points, winning just once, and confidence is at rock bottom coming into this clash. The hosts have now lost the last 3 games overall and 4 of the last 6, conceding a big average of 2 goals a game over the latter. Pressure is really beginning to mount in the stands and that could potentially boil over should the team’s miserable run continue in what is a huge game for the club.

Estudiantes, by contrast, are flying and have now won 5 domestic games in a row, sandwiched either side of the 1-1 draw in the first leg. Jose Gavidia’s troops had been in poor form themselves earlier on in the year but look a changed outfit now, with the recent hot streak lifting them up to 5th in the domestic standings and leaving confidence flowing ahead of this trip to Chile.

It’s a big occasion for the visitors too, with they themselves having not appeared in continental action since a 2003 Libertadores appearance. The visitors had lead with 2 minutes of normal time left to play in the first leg, having been the better side, but conceded a late goal, leaving themselves with slightly more work to do here but still confident in securing what would be an excellent win.

Ultimately, as with most Venezuelan clubs in continental action, Estudiantes have been ranked as massive underdogs. On most occasions that is fair, given the nation’s clubs don’t have a great record on the big stage, but with Chilean teams also struggling in recent years and Temuco bottom of the pile domestically, you do feel the visitors shouldn’t be such rank outsiders.

As such, a bet on the visitors on the Draw No Bet line really appeals. They come into the clash with momentum behind them and up against a Temuco outfit that simply cannot buy a win at the moment, we can see something of an upset on the cards. The visitors are scoring goals for fun, averaging 2 a game over their last 6, and taking into account that Temuco have conceded the same average over the same period, a 2-1 away win looks a likely scoreline.