Cienciano Cusco
- Cienciano Cusco and Juan Pablo II College are on opposing ends of the Liga 1 - Apertura table after the opening matchday, with the hosts propping up the standings in 18th on 0 points, and the visitors sitting in 7th with 1 point.
- Cienciano are the strong favorites here at 1.36, but the hosts have already shown they can be a threat to the established sides in the top flight with a 2-1 home victory over Ayacucho FC, although they were well beaten 2-0 at FBC Melgar Arequipa in their first away match.
- Cienciano Cusco have won three and lost two of their last five games across all competitions, while Juan Pablo II have won just one of their last five (D1, L3).
Juan Pablo II
- Cienciano Cusco have won both of their last two home games and Juan Pablo II have lost both of their last two away games.
- Juan Pablo II College have won just 1 of their last 5 matches in all competitions, a run that also includes a 3-0 away defeat to Alianza Universidad and a 3-3 draw at home with FC Cajamarca.
Head-to-Head
Cienciano Cusco have won one and drawn one of the last two head-to-head meetings in Liga 1, including a 2-1 home win three months ago .
Key Players
- Melgarejo is a shrewd, pragmatic coach who is unlikely to deviate too far from the aggressive, high-tempo, high-pressing, vertical style of Cienciano that his predecessor liked to play.
- Juan Pablo II College tend to sit deep, defend in compact blocks, rely on set pieces and counter-attack when necessary, but their new signings suggest Zuleta intends to blend their pragmatic identity with attacking contributions.
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Players to watch:
- Luis Benites, with two goals in Cienciano’s last five contests, is their current danger man and scored two of the team’s six goals during that run.
- Adan Henricks has one goal in one appearance in Liga 1 - Apertura and Martin Alaniz already has one assist, but he must make sure they stay compact enough to cover themselves defensively.
Betting Insights
- The Over 2.5 goals option at 1.7 looks appealing given Cienciano’s attacking nature and Juan Pablo II’s inability to keep the ball out of their own net.
- Cienciano are the strong favorites here at 1.36.
Prediction
The home side’s better record in the head-to-head, home advantage and superior firepower in the attacking third means they are clear favorites to take all three points .
