Necaxa vs Mazatlan FC Prediction: Only 2 Points Between These Sides

• Necaxa will take on Mazatlan FC this Friday at the Estadio Victoria
• Necaxa haven’t got a win in their last three matches in the Liga MX
• Mazatlan have got one win in their last six Liga MX matches

Necaxa vs Mazatlan FC Odds

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Necaxa vs Mazatlan FC Pick

Scoreless draw (+245)

This match will be a hard one to call with only two points between these sides. Necaxa currently sit in 12th place on the Liga MX table with 18 points and Mazatlan are in 14th place with 16 points.

Necaxa also have a slight edge as far as head-to-heads are concerned with 10 wins, 10 draws and nine losses in the 29 games that the two sides have contested. Necaxa are also playing at home, so they’re clearly the favorites heading into this match. However, they don’t make the most convincing case to win this match. This match has got all the makings of a draw.

Previous Meetings

The last match between the two sides sums up what we might be getting in this one. The match ended 0-0 back in March. The two sides couldn’t get their shooting boots on, taking a combined 22 shots and five on target.

It was a drab affair with Necaxa probably considering themselves unfortunate with 53% of the possession and the larger share of shots on target. However, you couldn’t really say that they were deserving of three points either.

It was a fair result from two teams that lack the quality at the highest level. It looks like both sides will need to produce a moment of magic to bring this game to life but there aren’t a lot of players on either side who seem capable of producing moments of the kind.

Necaxa Get A Point Despite Being Second Best

Necaxa weren’t at their best on the weekend against Club Tijuana but managed to play out a 1-1 stalemate. Brian García gave Necaxa the lead in the 33rd minute before Federico Lértora equalized for Tijuana just before the half-time whistle.

Necaxa weren’t great in this one against a side that are currently 15th on the Liga MX table. They had to face 28 shots, of which seven were on target. This was far from a defensive masterclass or anything on those lines.

A team with more quality up top could’ve scored four of five past Necaxa on the day. If they continue putting up performances of the kind from last week, some of the luck that’s seen them sit in a respectable position on the table will eventually run out and they’ll get punished severely.

No Threat Up Front

The side has just scored 17 goals all season from 15 games. This is a pretty alarming stat. Milton Gimenez has tried his best with five goals and one assist, which isn’t great but when you consider no one else in the side has scored even two, you do end up feeling sorry for him.

He has got absolutely no help up front. Diter Vilalpando and Fernando Madrigal have registered three assists, which is pretty much all of their attacking threat at the moment. The wingers need to be doing a lot more to help the attacking midfielders and striker.

Not Good At The Back Either

Necaxa have conceded a goal in their last four matches and 23 for the season. As mentioned earlier, they were fortunate to have not conceded more against Club Tijuana. This is not entirely the backline’s fault because the attackers are allowing the opposition to throw more numbers forward.

It’s a real warning sign when teams like Tijuana feel secure throwing bodies up front. They’d only do something like that if they felt like Necaxa offered no threat up top. The team needs to reinvent itself because nothing’s really clicking at the moment.

Maztalan Draw Toluca In Encouraging Display

Mazatlan got a vital point against sixth-placed Toluca on the weekend in a game that ended 1-1. Mazatlan only had 40% of the possession but took 19 shots on goal with eight finding the target compared to Toluca’s 17 which included nine on target.

Bryan Colula gave Mazatlan the lead in the 23rd minute but Camilo Sanvezzo’s strike in the 55th minute killed their hopes for a valuable three points. Mazatlan’s inability to capitalize when they have the upper hand has hampered them all season.

Defense Has Been Reliable

Despite their standing in the table, they have been one of the best defensive sides in the league. They have only conceded 19 goals all season and it’s not like Necaxa have a lot of threat up front to shake them. This is certainly something they can build on and it wouldn’t be surprising if they climb higher up the table as the season progresses because of the defense.

Teams should always start by organizing themselves out of possession and go from there. This applies to the biggest teams in the biggest leagues in the world. It’s then a matter of using that platform to score the goals that will win you the games.

Mazatlan Have Nothing Going Forward

Like Necaxa, they have absolutely no options in the forward areas. They have only scored four goals in their last six matches. In the last match, they should’ve maybe eased up after going ahead and looked for another goal to kill the tie but they’re almost too conservative. They need to be a bit more expansive when the time is right.

Fifteen goals is the joint-lowest tally in the Liga MX this season. Gonzalo Sosa has only scored four goals this season but is their top scorer. The team desperately needs investment in this area of the pitch. It’s clear that the manager can organize the team defensively but if there’s no threat up front, you’re backing on the defense to hold out for 90 minutes and even the best teams are usually incapable of defending their box for that long.

Brian Rubio has perhaps been the best player for Mazatlan with three goals and three assists this season. They need other players to step up like Rubio has. He might well be the difference in this game but playing away from home has also been an issue for Mazatlan all season. They haven’t got any points in their last three games on the road.

This is a massive tie for both sides but as of this moment, the lack of goals for both sides suggest that this game will be a low-scoring affair. It might even end up scoreless like last time, which is an indictment on both sides. It will confirm that neither side has improved since their last meeting.

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