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Santos Laguna leads Group B with 9 points from 4 games, Isidro Metapán from El Salvador have 6, Real España and Colorado Rapids 4. Real España started very bad and had only one point after three rounds, but won in USA at Colorado Rapids last week 1-2 and are still alive. Santos Laguna used very strong squads in last two games and thrashed Isidro Metapán 6-0 at home last week and Colorado Rapids in USA 1-4 two weeks ago. But, in first two games, when used mostly reserves, Santos had many problems. At home against Real España, they won 3-2 and away from home at Isidro Metapán lost 2-0. Santos left all of their usual startes in Torreón to prepare for game against Cruz Azul. Goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, Felipe Baloy, Santiago Hoyos, Osmar Mares, Juan Pablo Rodríguez, Rodolfo Salinas, Christian Suarez, Daniel Ludueña, Oribe Peralta and Darwin Quintero will not play today. It will be similar squad like in first two games and, as I wrote earlier, these players already lost in El Salvador comfortably. Also, in first game between these teams in Torreón, Real España played without their best goalscorer Carlos Pavón, who scored all 3 goals for them in last 2 games in the competition and will lead their attack today.

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Sporting Cristal and Sport Boys are two of the worst teams in Peru this year. Bad performances were expected from Sport Boys, but Cristal had big ambitions and entered year as one of favourites. They even had 4 players at this year's Copa América with Peru national team, Walter Vílchez, Yoshimar Yotún, Carlos Lobatón and Luis Advíncula. Their gk Erick Delgado also played many games for Peruvian national team and generally they have really good squad for Peruvian standards and successful coach in Juan Reynoso (won title with Universitario in 2009 and even Torneo Clausura with Bolognesi in 2007), but results are very bad. Cristal, however, still have confidence in coach and they signed players coach wanted in this transfer period. Their new signings are very good players for this league (Mexican midfielder Rodolfo Espinoza from Chivas USA, forwards Piero Alva from Universitario, Junior Ross from Polish league, Juan González-Vigil from León de Huánuco and right full back Willy Rivas from Irapuato) and will make their debut today, not all in starting 11 of course. Cristal are winless in last 10 games and have only 3 wins this year if we don't count points they won against Universitario outside pitch (it finished 0-0, but later 3-0 win was given to Cristal). This is really game Cristal would have to win. Sport Boys are in bad position, too, but not only in standings. They have financial problems, but managed to pay their debt and for now will not lose more points (they collected 17 points on pitch, but have 16 in the standings). Last week Sport Boys disappointed with 0-0 home draw against another bad team Alianza Atlético and coach 'Chochera' Castillo is under big pressure. Fans are mad with him because one of their best players, midfielder Marko Ciurlizza, left team after fight with coach. They also lost best goalscorer Martín García, but he could be replaced with new signing Jahirsino Baylón. Good news for Sport Boys is that their best player Michael Guevara is still there and will play this game, although he could leave any day after good performances in Copa América. I expect Cristal with their new players finally to show improvement and in that case they will win this game easily...

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Peru and Venezuela shocked at this year's Copa América,
surely not many people expected that even one of these two teams will reach 1/2 finals, especially not both of them. In last 3 qualifying campaigns for World Cups, Peru and Venezuela never finished higher than 8th (Peru were 8th, 8th and 10th, while Venezuela were 9th, 9th and 8th).
In last WC qualifiers, Peru were disastrous, won only 3 out of 18 games and had only 13 points. Of course, last year they sacked José 'Chemo' del Solar and now with new coach, Uruguayan Sergio Markarián, Peru are totally different team. They are very solid, very well organised and their results say everything about their style of play. Despite playing without their three Bundesliga players in Argentina -Claudio Pizarro, Jefferson Farfán and Carlos Zambrano- they reached 1/2 finals for the first time since 1997, when they were 4th. Their results in this year's competition are: 1-1, 1-0, 0-1, 0-0 and 0-2.
Venezuela's improvement also started with arrival of new coach, young César Farías. They are in 1/2 finals for the first time in their history after reaching 1/4 finals for the first time in 2007 when they were hosts. In 5 games in Argentina, Venezuela didn't lose, only were eliminated after penalty shootout against Paraguay. They played 0-0 twice, 1-0, 2-1 and 3-3.
Both teams don't concede goals easily and both teams have problems to score from play, goals could most likely come from set pieces and good news for this bet is that Peru's best set piece taker Juan Manuel Vargas is out suspended for this game, while Venezuela's best set piece taker Juan Arango is doubtful after suffering injury against Paraguay. I expect another closed game where one goal will probably decide the winner.

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The game will be played behind 'closed doors' at Atlético Nacional's sports center in Guarne, not at their Atanasio Girardot in Medellín. This is last round of 'fase contra todos', where Nacional already secured top 8 position. Itagüí were in top 8 from the start of the season until last weekend. Now they are 9th, but win would secure them top 8 position practically, because of their superior goal difference to América and Cali. If they draw, their chances will be small because they would need much more combinations of other results. Itagüí's job in this game will be easier because Nacional will miss two of their key players - playmaker Macnelly Torres and striker Dorlan Pabón. Also, Panama's defender Román Torres is invited to play Gold Cup and will miss rest of tournament. Itagüí have couple of missing too, but not as important as Nacional's and they have nice chance to win this game, in these circumstances.

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Unión Comercio are in middle of the standings in their first season in Primera División, but mostly because of their home performances. Away from home, they have only 2 points from 7 games. Now Unión Comercio have 2 defeats in a row after losing at home to bad Melgar for the first time this year on Wednesday, after 4 home wins in a row. After that game, they surprisingly sacked coach Hernán Lisi, most likely because he benched their star players Roberto Merino and Aldo Olcese and only used them as substitutes in that game. César Espino will be interim coach of Unión Comercio, it is hard to expect they will improve with him. César Vallejo led by good coach Víctor Rivera are having good season, they are playing well lately and in last 8 games lost only once - at high altitude of Cuzco to leaders Cienciano. In last home game, Vallejo only drew against Inti Gas, but on Wednesday won away from home at solid Cobresol. They have no squad problems for this game, coach will probably repeat starting 11 from previous game, satisfied with that performance.
Vallejo are simply team with more quality, they have significant home advantage, Unión Comercio are bad away from home and obviously not everything is perfect there currently. 1.71 at SBO

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Aurora had a good start this year, but now have 5 defeats in a row and they decided to change coach in hope to stop bad run. New coach is former legendary Bolivian national team player, Julio César Baldivieso, who already coached them in Clausura 2008 -when they won title- and led them in Copa Libertadores 2009, but left after fielding his 13-year-old son in league game against La Paz. Now he is back after career in politics, Aurora have good squad for standards of this league and I expect they will return to winning ways today. After all, of these 5 defeats, 4 were away from home, they are 4-1-1 at home and will play with practically best team, only striker Augusto Andaveris is out suspended, but although he is regular and even played for national team in his younger days, he is not too important as he is simply average player.
Universitario are in bad run, too. In last 5 games, they scored only one goal and won only one point - and it was surprisingly at leaders Oriente Petrolero, thanks to ultradefensive formation. That poor goalscoring run is unlikely to improve today as they will play without their best striker Roberto Galindo, who is suspended. Universitario are 1-1-4 away from home, last year they won only 2 away games, in 2009 only one - like most of Bolivian teams, they struggle away from home.
And they didn't have success in Cochabamba, won in their first visit there in 2006, but Aurora won 6 and only drew once in last 7 home games against Universitario.

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Deportivo Cuenca will have big problems to repeat good results from previous years. They have financial problems and currently have really modest squad. Coach Luis Soler wasn't satisfied with lack of quality signings, but looks like they will be stronger in next rounds. Couple of days ago, Cuenca signed Néstor Ayala, who played for Deportivo Quito last year and is by far their best signing so far, but he is not available for this game.
Independiente José Terán played in first division for the first time last year and managed to survive, they should improve this year. Like Cuenca, they are not among best teams, but at least managed to keep their best players (gk Librado Azcona, striker Richard Estigarribia and midfielder Fernando Guerrero), which Cuenca failed to do. Diego Ianiero and Marco Quiñónez, regular center defenders for Cuenca last year, are now in Independiente and will start against their ex team. Cuenca, with stronger team than now, failed to win at Independiente away from home last year, drew 2-2 after losing 2-0 at half time in first and lost 3-0 in second part of the season.
Independiente are favourites in this game in my opinion and odds on their win are too high...

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Real Esppor lead the standings after 11 rounds with 6 points more than Caracas (played one game less) and Táchira and they are on good way to win Apertura. They have best goaldifference, scored more and conceded less goals than all other teams and returned to top form as they have 4 wins in a row. Esppor will miss one of their best players, as midfielder Ángel Chourio is out injured, but in this game his absence shouldn't be big problem. Simply, Atlético Venezuela are much weaker team who only want to avoid relegation as this is their first season in Primera division. Previous weekend, they surprised Aragua away from home and won 1-2. Currently, they have better record away from home. Atlético Venezuela will miss regular midfielder Jorge Álvarez who is suspended.
This game will be played at Caracas' Estadio Nacional Brígido Iriarte, where Esppor won all 5 games this season, while Atlético Venezuela won only once in 6 games and it was against poor Caroni.

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Another bet on Universidad Católica, who are fighting to avoid relegation (currently 11th in overall standings, one and two points behind teams who are in front of them) and did well to win against local rivals El Nacional 1-0 previous weekend. Now, they will have easier job as Manta are weaker team than El Nacional, in worse form and poor away from home. Manta already visited Quito twice in last 20 days and both times lost 0-4, to Deportivo Quito and to El Nacional. This will be their third game at Atahualpa in short period of time and third defeat is expected. Away from home, Manta are the worst team in the league, with only one win and 10 points from 20 games this year and -25 goaldifference. Of course, they are without win at high altitude. Their form is in downtrend, failed to score in last 3 games (0-8 goaldifference) and have only one win in last 7 games. Manta practically secured avoiding relegation, while this is another key game for Universidad Católica. They will miss Álex Bolaños again and another midfielder Byron Cano, but they should win even without them, odds are good enough...