Universidad Catolica is set to host Sporting Cristal Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo in the 2022 Copa Libertadores Group stage in the 2nd game week of the competition. Match day schedules for 1th April 2022 at 01:15 EAT.
Sporting Cristal is placed 10th with 12 points after eight matches in the Peruvian Liga 1. They have no clean sheets in their last five league and cup fixtures, thus again foretelling that defense continues to remain one of their key concerns in the current season. The Peruvian side also has conceded the third-highest number of goals so far in Liga 1 and need to start keeping things tight at the back.
Sporting Cristal their fans will hope to get better results after 0-2 Copa Libertadores defeat to Flamengo in their last action. In that match, Sporting Cristal managed 53% possession and nine shots with two of them on target. Flamengo got nine shots with four of them on target and goals by Bruno Henrique (22’) and Matheuzinho (87’).
On the other hand, the Chilean side currently sits ninth in the Chilean Primera Division. Universidad Catolica has not had clean sheets in their last seven matches across all competitions and has conceded the most number of goals in their domestic league so far. The Chilean Primera Division is not exactly the same as the esteemed Copa Libertadores, the side’s defensive inconsistency.
Universidad Católica gets in to this meeting off the back of 0-2 Campeonato Nacional loss to Deportes La Serena in their previous game. In that match, Católica managed 72 % possession and 16 shots with none of them on target. La Serena got five shots with two of them on target and goals by Marcelo Herrerra (24’) and Leonardo Valencia (75’P).
Universidad Catolica vs Sporting Cristal head to head
This fixture will mark the third meeting between these two sides since 2003. Sporting Cristal won in both the preceding fixtures.
- Sporting Cristal 3-1 Universidad Catolica 28/03/03
- Universidad Catolica 0-1 Sporting Cristal 20/02/03
Home
- Universidad Catolica 0-2 Deportes La Serena
- Talleres Cordoba 1-0 Universidad Catolica
- Universidad Catolica 2-1 U de Chile
- O´Higgins 2-1 Universidad Catolica
- Universidad Catolica 0-1 Everton
Away
- Cesar Vallejo 2-0 Sporting Cristal
- Sporting Cristal 0-2 Flamengo
- Sporting Cristal 4-1 San Martin
- Carlos Stein 1-1 Sporting Cristal
- Sporting Cristal 2-2 Cantolao
Universidad Catolica team news
Coach Cristian Paulucci will be without the services of Luciano Aued who is unavailable due to heart condition.
Sporting Cristal team news
Sporting Cristal manager Roberto Mosquera does not have any fitness suspension concerns ahead of this clash.
Prediction and odds
Both teams have lost their matches in the first round and also in similar position in their respective leagues, but Universitad Catolica lost five of their last six games in their championship. Still, they are the better team on paper and they are playing at home, so we predict a narrow home win here.
- Universitad Catolica Win
- Draw
- Goals under 2.5
