Club America Looks to Overcome First-Leg Upset Against Real Estelí in CONCACAF Clash”
Club America and Real Estelí are set to clash in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup round one tie on Wednesday (February 14th).
Club America
The visitors, Real Estelí, currently hold a narrow advantage in the tie, securing a 2-1 home win in the first leg in Nicaragua last week. Byron Bonilla and Marvin Fletes scored early goals in either half, giving Esteli a 2-0 lead by the 47th minute, while Julian Quinones narrowed the deficit in the 90th minute.
Following the defeat, Club America bounced back with a 1-0 away victory over Leon in the Liga MX over the weekend. Jonathan Rodriguez netted the match-winner with a last-gasp penalty in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time.
The winner of this tie will face Chivas Guadalajara or Forge in the next round.
Club America vs Real Estelí Head-to-Head and Key Numbers:
Last week’s clash marked the first meeting between the two sides.
Six of Club America’s seven competitive games this season have produced fewer than three goals.
Real Esteli have scored at least two goals in three of their four games in all competitions this season.
Five of Club America’s seven games this season have been level at halftime.
Club America’s seven games this season have all produced at least nine corner kicks (11.5 average per game).
Prediction:
Club America, being the most historic side in this competition with a record seven victories, are in danger of facing an embarrassing early ouster. Despite the shock defeat in the first leg, they remain heavy favorites to successfully turn the tie around.
Real Esteli secured a significant result with their first-leg victory and, with nothing to lose, they pose a dangerous challenge for the home side. Club America, aware that anything less than a comfortable win would be unacceptable, is expected to adjust tactics to address mistakes from last week. The prediction is for the home side to cruise to a comfortable victory and a clean sheet.
