Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The final Play-In match of the Clausura stage in the Mexican championship will be played on Monday at the BBVA Bancomer stadium, where local side Monterrey will host Pumas. I’m offering a bet on the outcome of this clash with an attractive odds value.
Match preview
Monterrey found their rhythm by the end of the regular season and secured a spot in the Mexican championship play-in playoffs. Over 17 matches, the club collected 28 points, finishing in seventh place—just two points short of a direct playoff berth.
In the last five rounds of the regular season, Monterrey notched up three victories and suffered two defeats. Notably, they beat second-placed América at home with a narrow 1-0 win. However, in their first play-in match, the squad lost 1-2 at home to Pachuca. Monterrey struck first in the 51st minute but conceded twice after the 82nd minute. Now, their shot at the playoffs comes down to this contest against Pumas.
Pumas, meanwhile, managed to cling onto the tenth spot in the league, barely scraping into the play-in round in the final fixture. Guadalajara missed out to Pumas only on tiebreakers, and a win would have seen them leapfrog their rivals. Nevertheless, Guadalajara drew 1-1, allowing Pumas to advance to the play-in.
In the play-in semifinals, Pumas drew 1-1 away at Juárez in regular time. Midway through the first half, Pumas were reduced to ten men after forward Martínez was sent off, but in stoppage time, their opponents were shown two red cards. This fiery encounter was ultimately decided in a penalty shootout, where Pumas prevailed.
Probable lineups
- Monterrey: Cárdenas, Aguirre, Medina, León, Arteaga, Rodríguez, Fimbres, Canales, Torres, Ocampos, Berterame
- Pumas: Padilla, Benevendo, Silva, Magallán, Duarte, Barrera, Trigos, Córdoba, Alcázar, Ergás, Ayala
Match facts and head-to-head
- Monterrey have beaten Pumas in their last three Liga MX encounters
- The "Total over 2.5" bet has landed in two of the last five matches
- The "Both teams to score" bet has come through in three of the last five meetings
Prediction
The bookmakers are siding with Monterrey in this clash, offering odds around 1.82 for a home win. We believe the "Rayados" will once again get the better of their rivals, so our pick is a Monterrey victory.
