Queretaro FC vs Pumas UNAM Prediction, Odds, Betting Picks

Queretaro FC vs Pumas UNAM Predictions

Queretaro FC and Pumas UNAM are enduring a very tough Clausura season as they are in the bottom three. However, both clubs still have a chance to clinch a playoff qualification spot thanks to the tight competition this time around.

Ranked 16th in the table, Pumas UNAM are only a point away from the last playoff qualifying spot. Additionally, the club is only four points away from ninth-placed Santos Laguna. Meanwhile, Queretaro FC are right behind Pumas UNAM on the table.

Both sides will be hungry for a win in the next game. For a change, a draw would not be a satisfactory result for either side as they both look to capitalize on the other’s weakness and walk away with all three points. It will be a tough encounter to call, but Queretaro FC are favorites to win.

The head-to-head record between these two sides that are struggling due to a lack of victories this season. In 24 Liga MX clashes, Queretaro FC have emerged victorious in ten, while the result has favored Pumas UNAM on nine occasions. Five encounters have ended in a draw.

In the last five games between the two sides, Queretaro FC have managed just one win, while Pumas UNAM have three, and the fixture of the 2021 Apertura season ended in a draw. Queretaro FC’s last win over Pumas UNAM came in the 2021 Clausura season.

Queretaro FC have enjoyed playing against Pumas UNAM at home. In 12 matches between these two at the Estadio La Corregidora, the hosts have recorded eight victories, while Pumas UNAM have only won on three occasions. One of them came in the 2022 Apertura season.

Must Win Game For Queretaro FC

In the 2022 Apertura season, Queretaro FC were abysmal as they finished at the bottom of the table with just one win in 17 games. Six draws helped them bring their total points tally to nine points, but they still finished four points behind Atlas FC, who finished 17th.

This Clausura season, Queretaro FC have already surpassed that tally with five games still to go. However, the club has still won only one game so far and has frustrated a few big teams after holding them to frustrating draws since the start of the Clausura season.

The game against Pumas UNAM is a must-win for Queretaro FC because their final four fixtures are all against tricky opponents who are either fighting for a playoff spot or are one of the strongest contenders for the 2023 Clausura title.

Winless Against Pumas UNAM In The Last Three Attempts 

To notch all three points against Pumas UNAM, Queretaro FC will have to end a short winless streak of three games against the club. This will be the 25th Liga MX meeting between the two sides as Queretaro FC search for their first win against Pumas UNAM since January 2021.

The last time Pumas UNAM visited the Estadio La Corregidora, it was during the Clausura 2022 season, and the visitors walked away with a comfortable 3-1 win. Queretaro FC had gotten off to a perfect start when Angel Sepulveda opened the scoring after just four minutes.

Pumas UNAM fought back with goals from Leonel Lopez, Marco Garcia, and Rogerio and could turn the game on its head and clinch all three points despite being reduced to ten men in the 66th minute when Alan Mozo was shown a straight red.

Queretaro FC Need To Be Clinical 

Despite not being at the bottom of the table, Queretaro FC have only scored 11 goals this season. They have the second-lowest goals-per-match average in the league, which stands at 0.9. Regarding on-target attempts, Queretaro FC have the third-lowest average of 3.5.

Their next opponents have created 31 big chances this season, a joint-best statistic they share with Club America. Conversely, Queretaro FC are at the other end of the table in this aspect as well, as they have only created nine big chances this season.

Pumas UNAM Miles Away From Glory Days  

After qualifying for playoffs in both the Apertura and Clausura seasons of the 2021/22 edition of Liga MX, Pumas UNAM are on the verge of missing out on qualifying in both seasons of the 2022/23 Liga MX campaign.

In the 2020 Apertura season, Pumas UNAM were title contenders when they finished second on the table after losing just one game all season, eventually finishing as runners-up for the first time after the 2015-16 season. However, things have gone downhill after that.

The last Liga MX title for the seven-time champions came in the 2011 Clausura season, after which they came close to nabbing a couple more titles but were halted at the end. Now, the side are struggling to clinch a playoff qualifying spot.

Del Prete Suspension Will Be A Massive Blow 

This could be the first time in over ten years that Pumas UNAM could miss out on playoff qualification in both the Apertura and Clausura seasons of a single edition of Liga MX. The club are still active in the race for playoffs as things stand.

However, the task is a difficult one, and a win against Queretaro FC would have provided them with a perfect boost in the battle for playoffs. The absence of talisman Gustavo Del Prete makes this task even more challenging.

Del Prete has scored three and assisted three goals in 12 appearances this season. The striker was shown a straight red when Pumas UNAM faced CF Pachuca almost two weeks ago. Hence, the striker will serve his suspension during the game against Queretaro FC.

Creativity And Conversion Expected From Potent Duo

Pumas UNAM have scored 16 goals so far, and almost half of them have come via club veteran Juan Dinenno. The Argentine surpassed the 50 goal-mark for his club earlier this season and has nabbed seven goals and a solitary assist in 12 games.

Eduardo Salvio will be another quintessential player for the visitors in this clash in the absence of Del Prete. From the right flank, Salvio has scored three goals in nine games. However, the winger has fired blanks in the last two games.