Emelec vs Deportivo Cuenca Prediction and Betting Tips

Emelec welcome Ecuadorin rivals Deportivo Cuenca to the Estadio George Capwell for a Copa Sudamericana qualifier on Thursday (March 9).

The hosts are coming off a 2-1 defeat at Orense in the Ecuadorian Liga Pro over the weekend. Two quickfire red cards were dished out in the opening exchanges, reducing both sides to ten men.

Goalmouth action started four minutes into the second half when Gabriel Achilier put Orense ahead. Cristhian Solano doubled his side's lead with 15 minutes to go before Miller Bolanos scored a late consolation from the spot in the third minute of injury time.

Deportivo, meanwhile, fell 3-1 at Libertad despite taking the lead through Cristian Enciso's own goal at the half-hour mark. A second-half fightback saw Anderson Naula and Roberto Garces score from the spot, while Elian Carabali made sure of the result in the 83rd minute.

Both sides will now turn their attention to the continent where an automatic spot in the Copa Sudamericana group stage beckons the winner.

Emelec vs Deportivo Cuenca Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

Emelec lead 25-7 in their previous 36 games against Deportivo, while four games ended in a share of the spoils.
Their most recent meeting in September 2022 saw Emelec win 3-1 at home.
Four of their latst five head-to-head meetings have seen goals at both ends.
Emelec have lost just one of the last 19 games they have hosted against Deportivo, winning 16 and drawing two.
The hosts have scored at least twice in four of their last six meetings in the fixture.
Emelec form guide: L-W; Deportivo Cuenca form guide: L-W

Emelec vs Deportivo Cuenca Prediction

Both teams lost their respective game over the weekend, which is far from ideal preparation for Thursday's make-or-mar clash.

Emelec are the firm favourites and also have home advantage. El Bombillo have a strong record against Deportivo, particularly at home, where they have lost just one of their last 19 meetings.

The hosts should claim a comfortable win in a high-scoring game.

Prediction: Emelec 3-1 Cuenca

Emelec vs Deportivo Cuenca Betting Tips

Tip 1 - Emelec to win

Tip 2 - Both teams to score

Tip 3 - Over 2.5 goals

Tip 4 - Emelec to score over 1.5 goals

About the author

Elvis is a seasoned football journalist and has been with Sportskeeda for more than 6 years. He specializes in writing match previews across several leagues and competitions around the world, and his insightful tips have amassed a total readership in excess of 9.2 million till date. Elvis' meticulous attention to detail and strictly following SK's editorial guidelines have been key to achieving a vast readership. He has also exclusively covered the 2021 Nigerian Universiy Games and has provided research for an upcoming biography for a Nigerian football legend.

Elvis has been a Super Eagles fan since 2004, and them beating defending champions Cameroon in the AFCON that year left a lasting impact on him. He supports Sporting Lagos at club level and loves to watch games live at the Onikan Stadium due to its buzzing atmosphere. His favorite football players are former Nigerian forward, Osaze Odemwingie and former Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez.

If Elvis could change one football rule, it would be to not be booked for celebrating with pitch side fans. He believes that football is a passionate game and celebrations should be encouraged to the fullest. When not analyzing the latest previews, Elvis indulges in activities such as swimming, reading, and karaoke.

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