Queretaro can stretch their unbeaten run at home in Liga MX to five matches when they host Cruz Azul at Estadio Corregidora on Wednesday evening.
Los Gallos Blancos are last in the coefficient table, playing to a 2-2 draw with Juarez in their previous encounter, while La Maquina sit eighth in the Clausura after defeating San Luis 1-0.
Match preview
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Mauro Gerk and his team are running short on time to try to salvage a campaign which has been disastrous for a while, winning just two matches combined in the Apertura and Clausura portion of this competition.
They may not be in the best predicament at the moment, but Los Albiazules have not gone down without a fight, picking up points in four of their last five domestic affairs, including an 87th-minute penalty to draw Juarez.
On the other hand, they could have done themselves a world of good had they held onto a couple of leads, squandering four points from winning positions since January.
Six of their nine points banked in the Clausura this season have come on home soil, which is also where their only two victories domestically this season have taken place.
Queretaro have lost their last four Liga MX encounters versus Cruz Azul but have won two of the previous three meetings against them at home.
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The Claurusa campaign has been littered with inconsistencies from one match to the next for Cruz Azul, who currently find themselves nine points back of a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL).
Ricardo Ferretti has seen two very different-looking sides this season, one that have captured four straight wins at home, with the other losing three of their last four away fixtures, while conceding eight goals.
Like Queretaro, Los Celestes have left some points on the table, losing three times in the Clausura this season after scoring first and going winless throughout the campaign when conceding the opening goal.
Only two of their remaining league fixtures will take place in their home venue of Estadio Azteca, and given that their remaining road fixtures after Wednesday will be against sides currently ahead of them in the standings, this game could make or break their CCL dreams.
They have come a long way defensively from how they opened the Clausura campaign, posting four clean sheets in their last five games, with all four occurring at home.
Team News
Jose Maduena is doubtful for Queretaro because of a knock, while Gerk inserted a few new faces into his starting 11 versus Juarez, including Omar Mendoza, Rodrigo Lopez, Christian Rivera and Angel Sepulveda.
Leading goalscorers Pablo Barrera and Lopez each found the mark in their previous encounter, while Gil Alcala has only maintained one clean sheet in this portion of the competition, at home in a 1-0 victory over Toluca.
Clifford Aboagye had the only goal for them in a 2-1 defeat to Cruz Azul last August, though he is still searching for his first on the domestic campaign in 2022-23.
Carlos Vargas will be out of the lineup for La Maquina until the middle of October because of an ACL injury, while they put out the same starting 11 against San Luis that we saw in their game with Pumas as the only new face to feature was Ivan Morales, who replaced Ramiro Carrera as a second-half substitute.
Jose de Jesus Corona has four clean sheets in his last five outings, while Morales put home the only goal from the penalty spot in their previous encounter, his first of the Clausura, moving him two back of Uriel Antuna for the team lead.
Carlos Rotondi gave them a 1-0 lead in their last game versus Queretaro, while Christian Tabo notched the winner with fewer than 10 minutes remaining.
Queretaro possible starting lineup:
Alcala; Mendoza, Balanta, Barbieri, Fernandez; Aboagye, Hernandez, Rivera, Barrera; Sepulveda, Ayon
Cruz Azul possible starting lineup:
Corona; Escobar, Funes Mori, Dominguez, Jimenez; Antuna, Rodriguez, Rivero; Carrera, Lotti, Estrada
We say: Queretaro 0-2 Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul seem to have gained some momentum from their string of home victories, as well as tightening up defensively, and given that they are facing the lowest-scoring team in the league, we do not anticipate them to be challenged much against the Queretaro attack.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
