When the seeding for the Nicaraguan Primera Division Clausura playoffs was set last Saturday, it was Diriangen FC that just missed out on a first round bye, finishing even on points with the Apertura (the league is split into two halves, the Apertura and Clausura) champion Real Esteli, but seven goals behind in goal difference.
Third-seeded Dirangen, which fell in the semifinals in December on away goals to Esteli, will get another crack at the champions if it can get past sixth-seeded Juventus Managua, which fell in penalties last fall in this round, Wednesday night.
These two teams have split their last four matches from the 2019-2020 Apertura and Clausura seasons, and in fact have each won six (with three draws 0 of the 15 games played since August of 2017. Juventus won the last meeting 3-0 on April 4.
But Diriangen is unbeaten at home in that run, with three straight wins, and get the edge here because of that.
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Diriangen FC (-200) vs. Juventus Managua FC (+500), draw (+275), 7 p.m. EDT
THE PICKS:
Diriangen -0.75 (-130)
Both teams to score yes (-105)
CORRECT SCORE BET
Diriangen 2-1 (+650)
Diriangen 3-1 (+1000)