Santos Laguna vs Tigres UANL Predictions, Betting Odds, Picks

• Two of the better teams in the Liga MX will open their campaigns
• Tigres UANL banking on incredible offensive strength
• Santos Laguna need continued defensive strength to make a difference

Santos Laguna vs Tigres UANL Odds

Santos Laguna vs Tigres UANL Predictions

This will be a matchup between two of the better teams in the Liga MX, at least in terms of consistency and experience. Both teams are coming off a solid campaign in the Apertura phase of the Liga MX.

Santos Laguna had one of the best defensive lineups in the previous phase to ensure that they finished in the top half. If they can maintain that defensive compactness, then they will be hard to break down in that phase of the soccer pitch again.

Tigres UANL have remained one of the best teams in the Liga MX as evidenced by their terrific fourth-place finish in the previous phase in Apertura towards the end of the year. They will be desperate to continue that prowess in the new Clausura phase as well.

Can Santos Laguna Find Playmaking?

It was Diego Valdes Contreras, who provided offensive spirit in the final third in the previous Apertura phase. He led the assists charts for the team with five in the previous phase. Santos Laguna will need similar returns from more than one person to make a dent in the Liga MX standings, which is certainly possible.

In the Apertura phase, Santos Laguna finished fifth with 24 points in 17 matches. This was built on an ability to not lose games. They lost just three through the entirety of the Apertura, a characteristic that had a major impact on their final tally.

From a defensive standpoint, they did well to concede just 16 goals at an average of below one per game. That was crucial because this is a slow league, and if a team concedes too many, you will notice them dropping quickly down the standings because other teams do not concede many. Santos Laguna also did well to score 23 goals, which was second-most in the Apertura in the Liga MX last season.

The Best Offense of the League?

It is hard to deny that Tigres UANL possess the best offensive core in the league as evidenced by their splendid performance in Apertura. They scored 26 goals, comfortably the most in the Liga MX in that phase of that season.

That is important to note because a team that can score at an average of over 1.5 goals per game in a slower league can really move the needle when it comes to proficiency. Nicolas Lopez was a massive part of that offense having scored a stellar nine goals.

Javier Aquino and Leonardo Fernandez both managed to chip in with four assists apiece, which is significant in a league like this. These are two terrific performers and are capable of being the difference-makers because they can convert low-quality chances into high-quality chances for decent players in the final third. That is imperative in a league like this.

Tigres UANL also did very well to concede just 14 goals. That goal difference of +12 was the best in the Apertura phase, another indicator of this team’s incredible depth across the phases and positions of a soccer pitch.

How Many Goals Will be Scored?

In a league like the Liga MX, taking the over in terms of goals scored can be a tricky proposition unlike the under, but that also comes with a higher reward as a result. You can wait for the opportunity to take the over, and this match presents a perfect opportunity.

Let us break this down from a mathematical standpoint. Tigres UANL are one of the quickest teams in the league as they transition from defense into the final third. That is reflecting in their average goals scored, which is higher than any other league based on the evidence gathered from the Apertura phase.

Santos Laguna also have a preference for moving the ball quickly across the phases, which increases the chances of goals being scored. Betting can be as simple as that. If Santos Laguna and Tigres UANL maintain their offensive spirit, then you will start to see gaping holes in the middle of the field, which helps strong attacking players create chances of high quality. And that leads to a higher probability of goals being scored.

In this one, there is a strong chance of both teams scoring at least one goal but Tigres UANL’s incredible offensive depth should help them score more than one. As a result, the over 2.5 goals in this particular match makes perfect sense.

You may also be rewarded with a higher payout if you take more goals to be scored. Weight the risk against the reward and take a decision based on that. This should end up being a high-scoring match, with the away team on top by the end of 90 minutes.

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