Deportivo Cuenca vs Universidad Catolica del Ecuador Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Saturday’s Ecuadorian top flight action features a clash between Deportivo Cuenca and Univerisdad Catolica. A fairly close game is expected overall with plenty of action at both ends of the pitch.

Things certainly haven’t gone to plan for Deportivo Cuenca so far this season and their poor performances have ensured they’ll likely be in a relegation battle until the end of the season. El Rojo have put in some pitiful showings in this opening phase and lie third bottom with just 18 points from 20 games as a result.

However, with fans questioning their professionalism and several new signings lined up, Cuenca’s players have certainly bucked their ideas up in recent weeks under the watch of Richard Páez, coming into the clash having won 3 of their last 4 matches, including the last two.

Nonetheless, with Universidad Catolica in town, Cuenca will certainly be hard pressed to maintain their streak of strong form. After a poor 9th placed finish last season, little was expected of Los Santos this campaign but they’ve performed very well, currently sitting pretty in 3rd with an impressive 37 point haul.

Whilst their faint hopes of securing the opening phase title were dashed with a 2-1 defeat to leaders LDU Quito in midweek, Santiago Escobar’s troops still have plenty to play for in this one, with securing a continental place come the end of the year the ultimate aim.

We’re expect a closely contested game here. Catolica have clearly been by far the better of the two throughout the season but Cuenca come into the match in much improved form and are not as a bad a side as their earlier results would suggest.

Both teams have plenty of reasons to chase the 3 points and as such, we should see an open game, making backing both nets to be hit the way to play. Both sides have scored in 4 of Cuenca’s last 6 home games and in 5 of Catolica’s games on the road over the same period. With 5 of the last 6 meetings between the two also having seen both sides score, it’s a bet that really appeals.

As for the result itself, a 1-1 draw looks the most likely outcome and is a scoreline worth backing in combination with out main tip. Cuenca have drawn 4 of their last 7 home games and should be able to take something from the match against a Catolica side that has lost 2 of its last 3 games on the road.