CA River Plate (ARG) vs Sporting Cristal Prediction & Betting Tips - Copa Libertadores

Prediction published on 18/04/2023, 09:50  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 18/04/2023 at 09:50 in Copa Libertadores Predictions

Copa Libertadores action will return this week, and in the second round of matches, we will see River Plate welcome Sporting Cristal to Estadio Mas Monumental for a Group D clash on Thursday. Group D is already shaping up to be a difficult one to predict, with Fluminense and The Strongest rounding out the group and both getting off to a good start. River Plate lost their opening match against The Strongest a couple of weeks ago 3-1 and were outplayed for large parts of that match. However, the Argentine side has been excellent in domestic competition and currently leads the Liga Profesional Table first phase with 30 points after 12 matches, with a record of 10 wins and two losses. River Plate’s home form this term has also been very good, losing just one in their first seven competitive matches, and they come into this one on a five-match winning run, scoring 14 and conceding just three in that time. Coming up against an opponent that has been tipped to finish bottom of this group, River Plate will be expecting nothing but a win in this one and may also be eyeing up a few goals along the way. 

Meanwhile, the Peruvians, Sporting Cristal, will be hoping they can improve their showing from last season, where they ended at the bottom of Group H in this competition, winless in their six matches. However, it looks like a tall order for them after they lost their opening match 3-1 to Fluminense on their home patch. In league terms, Sporting Cristal have looked much better and are unbeaten in the Primera Division after nine matches, with a record of four wins and five draws, enough to see them in fourth place with 17 points. While still unbeaten in the league this season, Sporting Cristal has yet to win a single away match, drawing four and losing one of their five matches on the road in all competitions to date. Heading to Argentina this time around, Sporting Cristal will likely find it difficult to come away with anything from this one.