Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the upcoming Argentine Cup clashes is set for Friday at the Unico San Nicolás stadium, where Defensa y Justicia will lock horns with Newell's Old Boys. I'm backing a bet on goals in this encounter, with solid odds on offer.
Match preview
Defensa y Justicia are enduring a tough stretch—12 matches without a win (6 draws and 6 defeats), a run that has seriously dented their ambitions both in the domestic league and on the continental stage. Their away form is particularly concerning: in their last seven games on the road, they haven't tasted victory once—four losses and three draws.
In the Copa Sudamericana, the "Hawks" still have a theoretical chance of progressing from the group, but they must win their next match or risk their season ending in disappointment. As a result, this upcoming Argentine Cup fixture could prove pivotal in terms of both morale and motivation—the team simply must break their lengthy winless streak.
On the other side, Cristian Fabbiani's squad have lost just once in their last ten outings, with four victories and five draws. Even after a recent defeat to Racing in the final round of the Apertura, "La Lepra" left a good impression—their play remains balanced, and their defensive organization is solid.
However, despite this strong run, they failed to secure a spot in the top eight and missed out on the playoffs. The team hasn't played an official match for nearly three weeks now, which could affect their rhythm. Notably, Newell's have looked confident away from home: just one defeat in their last five away games, alongside two wins and two draws.
Probable lineups
- Defensa y Justicia: Bologna E., Cannavo E., Aguilera E., Delgado R., Soto A., Perez K., Gutierrez K., Gonzalez L., Gonzalez F., Osorio A., Togi G.
- Newell's Old Boys: Navas K., Montero A., Salcedo S., Victor Cuesta, Martino A., Banega E., Jacob T., Mendez H., Maroni G., Herrera L., Gonzalez K.
Match facts and head-to-head
- This season, Defensa y Justicia beat their rivals away from home 1-0
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has only hit in one of the last five encounters
- The "Both teams to score" bet has not landed in any of the last five matches
Prediction
Bookmakers see this as an even contest, with odds reflecting a balanced matchup. In this scenario, we recommend taking the "Under 2.0 goals" bet at odds of 1.95.
