The Primera Division de Mexico, also known as Liga MX, has now reached the Playoff stage. Eight teams contest the liguilla (little league in Spanish) having finished in positions 5 to 12 in the regular season. Matches are played on a two-legged home and away basis. The team that finished fifth meets the team that finished 12th, sixth plays 11th, and so on to complete the four ties. The higher-placed team has the home advantage in the first leg. Here are three Liga MX predictions.
Liga MX Predictions For This Weekend
Santos Laguna vs San Luis
Fifth plays 12th and home advantage could be key to the outcome. Only four points separated the eight teams who have qualified for this stage of the season. Santos Laguna had a better goal difference by 11 goals over San Luis in the main league. The hosts can confirm that superiority by taking a lead into the second match at the Estadio Alfonso Lastras Ramirez.
The corresponding match during the regular season ended in a goalless draw in Santos earlier this month. That result was San Luis’s third draw in as many matches. However, the unbeaten run followed two defeats, including a 2-6 reverse at home to Atlas. Santos has not lost in four fixtures and looks in good shape to beat San Luis at home on Saturday.
Liga MX Pick – Santos Laguna to beat San Luis at -130 with PointsBet
Deportivo Toluca vs Pumas UNAM
This fixture brings together the home team who finished sixth and opponents who finished 11th in the first leg of the first round of the liguilla. However, there were only three points between Toluca and Pumas UNAM in the final standings. In a relatively closely matched meeting, the away side can establish a lead in the tie ahead of the second leg at their own stadium.
Toluca has not won in eight fixtures, scoring five goals and conceding 10 during that run. The opening match in the Playoffs is a difficult place in which to get back on track. Pumas UNAM has won four of their last six matches. They are the form team for this fixture so can record a win on the road against a team low on confidence.
Liga MX Pick – Pumas UNAM to beat Deportivo Toluca at +250 with PointsBet
Cruz Azul vs Monterrey
Cruz Azul finished one place and one point ahead of Monterrey during the regular season. They had a superior goal difference of just one goal. So these sides were at almost the same level before this Playoff meeting at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The iconic stadium hosted Maradona’s Hand of God World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and England in 1986 and the 1970 World Cup final.
Events in this fixture won’t be as historic and Cruz Azul can record a straightforward home win. There will be no punching off the ball past Peter Shilton, the England goalkeeper for that infamous match. Cruz Azul probably won’t match the four goals Brazil scored against Italy in 1970. However, they will be happy with any lead they take into the second leg of this tie in Monterrey.
Liga MX Pick – Cruz Azul to beat Monterrey at +130 with PointsBet
