Mazatlan vs Leon Prediction, Odds, Best Bets
Mazatlan vs Leon Predictions
There’s a clear favorite heading into this. One team is in contention to finish the regular season in the first place, while the other will almost certainly end the season in last place. Mazatlan host Leon this week at the Estadio de Mazatlan, with just one win in the bag all season.
Leon, on the other hand, are heading into this tie off the back of one of their best wins all season. If Leon win this tie, they’ll go to second place on the league table. Mazatlan have to perform strongly even if they can’t get a result; they need to play for pride. There’s a toxic atmosphere at the club currently, and a good performance will help subside that temporarily.
Leon have to keep the momentum going. They will almost certainly make the playoffs, and it’s essential to keep the good feeling around the club before the knockouts. If they can keep it tight at the back and call upon their quality up-front, they should leave the Estadio de Mazatlan with all three points.
Mazatlan's only edge over Leon heading into this tie is their superior head-to-head record. They’ve won 13, drawn eight, and lost seven of their 28 ties against Leon. Leon, however, have won three of the last five ties between the two sides.
Their last meeting was in a cup match in August 2020 that Mazatlan won 3-0. Their last league meeting was around this time last year when Leon won 2-1. First-half goals from Santiago Colombatto and Santiago Ormeno gave Leon a 2-0 lead. Roberto Meraz got one back for Mazatlan in the 57th minute, but they couldn’t find the equalizer despite pushing quite hard.
Leon took 12 shots to Mazatlan’s 18 on the day, but this stat doesn’t consider the game state. Leon’s 2- lead heading into half-time allowed them to take their foot off the gas. If Mazatlan can put in this sort of display on Friday, it’ll be a big positive.
Mazatlan Suffer Another Loss Over the Weekend
Mazatlan suffered their ninth loss of the season over the weekend to Necaxa. The match ended 1-0 in favor of the visitors, who haven’t been in great form themselves. Mazatlan had a lot of possession in this game (62%) but weren’t able to work the ball in the final third.
They only took nine shots on goal, with only two finding the target. Necaxa took 11 shots on goal, and their only shot on target found the back of the net. The goal was scored by Ricardo Saul Monreal four minutes into first-half stoppage time.
The goal couldn’t have come at a worse time for Mazatlan, who looked the better side in the first half. Mazatlan haven’t been great this season, but even when they show promise, they don’t seem to get anything out of the game.
Nothing Seems to Be Clicking for Mazatlan
One win and one draw after 11 games is unacceptable. It doesn’t matter if the side is going through an injury crisis or a dip in form; this is simply not good enough for a Liga MX side. Mazatlan have no excuses, and manager Ruben Omar Romano has to be held accountable.
Their defense has been the biggest issue this season. They’ve conceded 28 goals in 11 games this season, over two per game. They need to go back to the basics against Leons – ensure the side is compact, the back four move in unison, and keep a counter-attacking threat.
A decision also needs to be made on the manager because he looks helpless on the touchline currently. Mazatlan haven’t been world beaters for the last few seasons, but this is a new low for the club.
Leon Impress in 4-1 Over Santos Laguna
Leon put lots of doubts to bed over the weekend with an excellent performance and result over the weekend against Santos Laguna. The 4-1 scoreline didn’t flatter them at all; it was a thoroughly convincing display and arguably their best of the season.
Things got rolling within six minutes after Victor Davilla found the back of the net. Ivan Jared Moreno made it 2-0 in the 27th minute before Santos Laguna’s Hugo Rodriguez got sent off two minutes later. Davilla got his second just before the half-time whistle to make it 3-0. Harold Preciado got one back in the 58th minute to give Santos Laguna some respite, but Fidel Ambriz made it 4-1 seven minutes later to take that away from the visitors.
Leon ended the match with 74% possession and 25 shots on goal. The sending-off helped, but they were on their game from the very start and fully deserved the post-game plaudits. There were some question marks surrounding their attack prior to the game, so a win like this will give everyone at the club a big lift.
How Far Can Leon Go?
If Leon win this match, they’ll go to second place on the Liga MX table. Just a few game weeks ago, no one was sure they deserved to be in the top five. Their defense has been solid all season, but fans and experts questioned their quality going forward.
Even if they win this match, they aren’t likely to end the regular season in the first place because Monterrey have built a huge gap at the top, but Leon will now believe they’re contenders for the title. They’ve only conceded eight goals all season, the lowest of any side in the league.
Knockout matches are tight affairs, which is why a strong defense is often more valuable than a free-flowing attack. They’re also a side with history in the competition; they’re eight-time Liga MX champions. All of these factors matter when a side is in the playoffs.
Of course, the players and manager can’t think too far ahead. They need to beat Mazatlan before thinking of league standings and the playoffs, but the fans will certainly be dreaming.
