Stadium: Corona

Referee: Paul Enrique Delgadillo Haro

Serie: 27GP - 8 Wins for Santos Laguna - 4 Draws - 15 Wins for Toluca

Santos Laguna

As the tournament reaches the end of it, Santos continues their fight to avoid relegation and because of the remaning points left the fight is just between Santos and Queretaro, with the slight advantage have it Queretaro that have more control of their destiny, and more as they won in last match yesterday and this put pressure to Santos for this match.

The team face Jaguares in away, match that began lossing as Jaguares MF Oscar Rojas put his team on advantage with a quick goal as the match began. For the rest of the first half the team was unable to score and make some scoring chances that didn't sucess. For the second half Santos FW Vicente Matias Vuoso score his first goal in his return to the team, this will help him with the confidence as Santos need with urgency of more goals. Six minutes later Santos was awarded a penalty and specialist MF Juan Pablo Rodriguez take it, but this time he didn't convert it, as Jaguares GK Omar Ortiz stop the penalty to mantain the score intact. Both teams continue to generate opportunities but the scoreline will not move and the draw didn't help a lot to any of them.

With last result the team reaches for first time of the tournament three matches without defeat, and continues taking points for relegation fight, the problem is that the team is achieving regularity and good performance late on the tournament and if Queretaro continue and take six points, then Santos will need to win all their matches, due to their clasing schedule, which the hardest as they will face Pachuca and Cruz Azul, it seems very improbalbe to take just victories in those matches.

Toluca

Last match the team receive Atlante, in a match that look as the best chance for the team to claim their first home victory. The start was perfect, in the first half, the team take advantage 1-0 from a goal of Toluca MF Vicente Sanchez.

In second half, Toluca continue to dominate and score the second goal by MF Vicente Sanchez again. But Atlante didn't give up and risk more taking control of the middlefield what gives more power to Atlante and in seven minutes score twice by DF Daniel Alcántar and DF Mario Hernandez Lash. Coach de la Cruz, make some changes to make the team more defensive and sign the tie as a fair result for the team.

Toluca make changes on the lineup and show more solid as also accepting the draws as a good result. But the match was ending and the impulse of DF Alan Miguel Zamora, youth player which debut this year and that was his sixth match, took a corner and put a pass for DF Mario Hernandez Lash who score the third goal to gave the advantage for the team. Three minutes later, in over time youth FW Jose Maria Cárdenas score his second goal of his carrer to make bigger the advantage of Atlante. The match ended and Toluca take a defeat that brings doubts to the team.

In midweek play their pending match against Atlas, also in home, Toluca improve on defense as they didn't allow a goal in that match, but in contrast get worse on attack as they where unable to make any danger, Atlas defense system that is more focus on that task when away was also key for that. Finally the match was settle for a 0-0 draw.

The team continues their strong step to be draw king for the end of the tournament, and right now the teams need victories more than anyother thing as only four matches left counting this one and is six points from qualifications spot for playoffs, which is the least they should obtain.

Is the team that has show best defense on away, as they have only allowed three goals. But the offensive have leave a lot of things to wish, it is far from the goal machine that last tournament where with FW Bruno Mariono and the patience with FW Erwin Avalos could be reaching the last times and in the end of the tournament if he doesn't show something could mean his departure to another team. His suspension will provide more game playing time to FW Diego de la Torre than in some part of the tournament showed good things. The team best striker is MF/FW Vicente Sanchez which is playing at a very higher level.

Suspended:

FW Erwin Ávalos

Match:

Both teams needed of points, still because of different reasons, one to avoid relegation and the other to get near qualification to playoffs. Santos in home haven't show solid, meanwhile Toluca way has provide a better display. The match seems will be very intense and hard fought in all areas of the match.

Prediction:

I expect Toluca to take handy Santos need and relay on their defensive scheme which they do more on away and make good advantage of the spaces that Santos will leave behind to take goals and from there the victory of Toluca seems as the most probable thing. So Toluca +1/2AH.

Pick : CD Toluca
Odds : 1.80
Stake : 8 / 10
Bookmaker : Bet365
Date : 2007-04-08
Match Result :
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