Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Liga MX clash between Queretaro and CD Guadalajara, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Still seeking their first points of the 2024 Liga MX Apertura campaign, Queretaro host CD Guadalajara on Tuesday at Estadio Corregidora.
On Friday, Los Albiazules were beaten 3-1 by Club America, while Chivas suffered their first defeat of the domestic season, 4-2 at Club Tijuana.
Match preview
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For the first time in over a decade (2012-13), Queretaro have begun the opening phase of a Liga MX campaign with two defeats.
Queretaro have never had a lead in the competition this season, while they have given up the opening goal in five of their previous six league fixtures, losing all five of those games.
The three goals they conceded to America were the most that Mauro Gerk‘s men had allowed in a single domestic encounter since matchday five of the recent Clausura season versus Cruz Azul (3-1).
Coming into this encounter, they are winless in three consecutive league contests at home and are on the cusp of suffering successive Apertura defeats at Estadio Corregidora for the first time since July 2022.
They have not suffered three straight defeats in the Apertura since 2022 and have not lost their opening three contests in this phase of the competition since 2012-13.
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At last, the club from Guadalajara found the back of the net, but ultimately, it was another disappointing result for them on Friday.
Fernando Gago‘s men had gone goalless in four consecutive matches across all competitions before Saturday, though they extended their winless run to five games.
In two of their previous three domestic seasons, Campeonisimo have begun the Apertura campaign without a victory in their first two games, though they were coming off a strong finish to the recent Clausura campaign, winning their final five matches before the playoffs.
They are winless in their last three domestic encounters away from home, counting the playoffs, but scored as many goals on Friday as they had in their previous four matches as the visitors (two).
Chivas are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Queretaro in Liga MX and have not lost to them away from home since the 2021 Apertura campaign (1-0).
Queretaro Liga MX form:
CD Guadalajara Liga MX form:
Team News
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Martin Rio was the new face in the starting 11 for Queretaro this week, as Rubio Rubin was an unused substitute, while Samuel Sosa played as the lone striker and Kevin Escamilla moved to centre-back instead of his usual position as a defensive midfielder.
Near the end of the first half against America, Pablo Barrera put his side within one goal with his first of the Apertura this season, but that is all they could manage.
Chivas captain Victor Guzman has been on the substitutes bench to begin their two league fixtures this season, while Armando Gonzalez was the only new face on the field for them on Friday who did not feature on matchday one.
Gonzalez scored deep into second-half stoppage time to make their result with Tijuana look a little more respectable, while Cade Cowell fired home his first as a Chivas player since signing from the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.
Queretaro possible starting lineup:
Allison; Gomez, Manzanarez, Vazquez, Venegas; Barrera, Escamilla, Lertora, R. Cisneros; Rubin, Sosa
CD Guadalajara possible starting lineup:
Rangel; Mozo, Sepulveda, Orozco, Castillo; Gutierrez, Guzman; Cowell, Alvarado, C. Cisneros; Chicharito
We say: Queretaro 0-1 CD Guadalajara
With Chivas’ attacking depth, we have to believe they will eventually find a breakthrough against a side that look particularly vulnerable on the counter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.