Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto Under Pressure as Aldosivi Arrive After Five Straight Defeats

Pressure builds on a side already sliding

Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto sit 15th in the Clausura table with six points from 12 matches and a goal difference of -10. Aldosivi are one place above them on eight points, with a -7 difference. Neither side is safe, but the weight of the occasion falls on the home team, who arrive at Antonio Candini on a run of five consecutive league defeats.

Five defeats and no way out

Estudiantes’ last five results read LLLLL, and in that spell they have scored three times and conceded nine. Their home form this season is grim: two wins from 14 matches, nine defeats and only six goals scored. Late collapses are a pattern, with 11 of their 40 conceded goals coming between the 76th and 90th minutes.

Aldosivi’s recent run is more mixed, LLWLW, with two wins in their last five and eight goals scored. Their problem is travelling. They are still waiting for an away win this season, having lost 12 of their 14 road matches. Both sides have kept six clean sheets this season, but five of Estudiantes’ came at home, while Aldosivi’s have all come on their own ground.

Three meetings, three draws

The last three meetings between the clubs have all finished level. They played out a goalless draw in the league on 4 April, while the earlier Primera Nacional encounters ended 2-2 in Rio Cuarto and 1-1 at Aldosivi.

Our prediction

Estudiantes need points more than anything, but their attack has averaged just 0.4 goals per game this season, and Aldosivi have the better scoring run heading into this fixture. The home side’s late-game lapses are a serious worry, so a single goal could settle a tight contest. Aldosivi look the more likely to take the three points, though this fixture’s history suggests a draw is never far away.

Prediction: 0-1 Aldosivi