Real Esteli FC vs Managua FC Prediction & Betting Tips - Primera Division, Apertura

Prediction published on 01/05/2020, 10:05  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 01/05/2020 at 11:06 in Football Predictions

The Nicaraguan Clausura play-offs reach the final stage as Real Esteli host FC Managua in the first leg. These are the teams that finished in the top two in the regular season with Managua finishing seven points clear of their opponents. Real Esteli beat third-placed Diriangen in the semi-finals 1-0 on aggregate. They won the away leg thanks to a second-half winner and then drew the home leg 0-0 to progress. Esteli are unbeaten in their last six matches since a defeat at Walter Ferretti in early April. Home form has seen them without a loss in ten games. The last team to go there and get a win just happens to be Managua. Fans haven't been seeing many goals of late, in fact not one in the last three home games. All three ended goalless, two of them against Diriangen. 13 of their 20 league and play-off games have had under 2.5 goals scored in them and seven out of ten at home.

Managua had a convincing 4-2 aggregate win over Walter Ferretti in their play-off semi-final. The away first leg was drawn 0-0 but the goals flowed in the home leg. It was 2-2 after just 24 minutes with Ferretti twice levelling. Two second-half goals from the regular season league leaders saw them progress. Managua come into this game on an unbeaten run of 15 league and cup games with five wins in the last six matches. Away form is strong with no losses in the last six. Again, goals have been scarce with each of those matches having under 2.5 goals scored in them. Managua will again want to get a good away result and finish the job off in the home second leg. Go for under 2.5 goals to be scored in this game.