Last Updated on January 3, 2023 3:12 pm by Erwin Noguera
Tijuana and Cruz Azul face off in the first round of the Liga MX Clausura this Sunday, January 8, 2023. This will be the first match of the year for the teams, after the end of the Apertura in October, when Pachuca was crowned champion.
Xolos will host La Maquina in their stadium, with the clear objective of starting the competition in the best way: winning and demonstrating good football. For the visitors, this will be the opportunity to put the recently signed players on the field, in an attempt to assess their potential.
Follow our analysis of this match and find out our main predictions about the match below.
When:
Sunday, January 8th – 10:10 pm ET at the Estadio Caliente
Moneyline odds:
Tijuana +158
Cruz Azul +174
Draw offs:
+238
Where Can I Watch it?
Why Bet on Tijuana?
Tijuana finished the Apertura tournament in 15th place, failing to qualify for the knockout phase of the Mexican league. The team had won only 4 of the 17 matches it played, showing a great lack of rapport between its players and the coaching staff.
Although Argentine defender Lisandro López stood out in the season, the team conceded 30 goals and narrowly missed winning the sad statistic of the highest number of goals conceded.
Against Cruz Azul, at home, Tijuana will have to change its posture if they want to surprise its opponent and take greater flights in the Clausura tournament.
Why Bet on Cruz Azul?
Cruz Azul qualified 7th in the Apertura tournament but was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Monterrey, who is always one of the big favorites for the title.
Coach Raul Jacobo’s team is among the favorites for this tournament. However, will need to approach this first game with great caution, due to the strength that Tijuana, usually, shows at home.
Midfielder José Rivero has been Cruz Azul’s most important player. He’s a physical number 8 and his participation in defense and attack will be crucial for his team.
Final Betting Analysis: Tijuana vs. Cruz Azul
The main bookmakers give Cruz Azul a slight advantage in this game. This is justified due to the better performance of the visiting team in the Apertura tournament.
La Maquina had a good end of the tournament after a terrible start. They even reached the quarterfinals, while their rivals were the opposite. Xolos started excellently in the tournament reaching the top 4, just to have a terrible close and end up far away from the Liguilla.
Faced with this scenario, we believe in the victory of Cruz Azul.
Go for a Cruz Azul victory at +174. If you put $100 into Cruz Azul’s win, you could get $174.00 back for a total payout of $274.00.
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