Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the clashes of the 5th round of the Copa Libertadores group stage will take place on Thursday at the José Amalfitani stadium, where Argentine side Vélez Sarsfield will take on Bolivia's San Antonio Bulo Bulo. Here’s a value bet suggestion for the outcome of this encounter with an attractive odds line.
Match preview
Vélez Sarsfield approach the match against San Antonio Bulo Bulo as Group H leaders, with 7 points from four games (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat). The team boasts a solid attacking record with a goal difference of 8:4. However, their last outing against Olimpia Asunción left a sour taste — Vélez conceded a late equalizer to drop points at the death (1-1). This highlights their lack of consistency in closing out matches.
Moreover, Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s men have shown mixed performances lately: a narrow 1-0 win over Gimnasia and an unexpected 1-4 defeat to River Plate. Despite these fluctuations, Vélez remain a formidable force at home, and this upcoming clash at the José Amalfitani presents a prime opportunity to solidify their top spot and secure a playoff berth.
San Antonio Bulo Bulo come into this game in a tricky spot in the group standings. After four matches, they sit third with 6 points (2 wins, 2 losses) and a negative goal difference (5:8). Their recent 0-3 home defeat to Peñarol has significantly dented their playoff hopes. It’s also worth mentioning their collapse in the away game against The Strongest (3-6) in the domestic league.
Joaquín Monasterio’s side are now forced to go all-in to keep their tournament hopes alive. Defensive frailties remain a major headache for the coaching staff, with 8 goals conceded in just four matches — a worrying trend. Despite the away status, San Antonio will likely opt for aggressive play and swift counterattacks, aiming to deny the hosts space to create dangerous opportunities.
Probable line-ups
- Vélez Sarsfield: Marchiori – Lagos, Mammana, Gómez, Gómez – Ordoñez, Baeza, Bouzat – Carrizo, Romero, Machuca
- San Antonio Bulo Bulo: Saracho, Saucedo, Huayhuata, Justiniano, Villarroel, Fernández, Gutiérrez, Sánchez, Rodríguez, Otazu, Vargas
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the first encounter, San Antonio Bulo Bulo defeated Vélez at home 2-1
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has landed in three of Vélez's last five matches
- Both teams to score bet has paid out in three of Vélez’s last five games
Prediction
Bookmakers are firmly backing the hosts in this clash, offering odds of around 1.20 on Vélez Sarsfield to win. We believe the Argentine club will secure a confident victory, and our pick here is "Vélez Sarsfield to win with a -1.5 handicap" at 1.62 odds.
