Costa Rica Primera Division Odds & Picks: Clausura Round 17

• Six weekend fixtures in Costa Rica Primera Liga Clausura after resumption
• Cartagines have won three  in five as they head to struggling Perez Zeledon
• See all odds and best bets for Costa Rica Primera Liga Clausura

League soccer has resumed in Costa Rica with a second round of matches due this weekend following the re-starting of the Primera Liga competition.

League leaders Deportivo Saprissa maintained their position at the top of the Costa Rican Clausura competition with a 1-0 home victory against Herediano when games in the Round of 16 were staged midweek.

Now the league heads into Round 17 with matches being staged behind closed doors and with five substitutes allowed.

Costa Rica Clausura Odds

Odds taken May 22

Pick 1: Perez Zeledon vs CS Cartagines

Cartagines returned to action after the shut-down with a 2-0 defeat by second-placed Alajeulense in midweek but look good value for a win against struggling Perez Zeledon.

The odds make sixth-placed Cartagines favorites at +129 for an away win at the Estadio Municipal in San Isidro at 5:00 pm EST on Sunday.

⚽️pro-league football matches have resumed in #CostaRica 🇨🇷- it’s a promising sign that strict guidelines to contain the spread of coronavirus have paid off. #PuraVida! pic.twitter.com/XHYEqZg7Vg

— Manuel Rapalo (@Manuel_Rapalo) May 22, 2020

Perez, who are 10^th in the 12-team table, are priced at +195 with the draw also looking good value at +229.

Cartagines have won three of their most recent five games while Zeledon have won only once in their last eight outings.

There have been five defeats and two draws in that spell for Zeledon with the most recent victory a 2-0 defeat of Jicaral on March 1.

How Costa Rican football (and even govn/population) has provided an example for other bigger leagues (and countries) about how to plan for an eventual return to the field. Genuinely impressed with the initiative shown in 🇨🇷

(W/ @keishCRgomez)https://t.co/ygW9Ok1SPp

— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) May 20, 2020

The two defeats for Cartagines in the most recent five games came against the top two sides – with the mid-week setback against Alajeulense having been preceded by a 3-1 loss against leaders Saprissa.

Cartagines have the fifth best record in the competition on the road with two wins, three draws and three defeats.

That, however, was followed by a 3-2 victory against Municipal Grecia in the final game ahead of the shut-down.

Cartagines have the fifth best record in the competition on the road with two wins, three draws and three defeats.

Football: Costa Rica becomes first Latin American league to resume https://t.co/v8NuEOnMfj

— The Straits Times (@straits_times) May 20, 2020

They travel to meet a Zeledon side with the 11^th-worst home statistics – two wins, three draws and three defeats.

In the last eight matches, Cartagines have scored 10 times and conceded 12. But Zeledon’s defensive record over the same spell is worse with 14 conceded against only six scored.

Pick: Cartagines +129

Pick 2: Limon vs Universitarios

Bottom club Universitarios are in a dreadful run of form but they were 2-1 winners earlier in the season against 11^th-placed Limon.

In the return clash of the two sides propping up the league, Universitarios will be desperate for any kind of positive result. And that makes the draw an intriguing – if boldly calculated – prospect at + 265.

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— News on News (@WorldBiz) May 22, 2020

The game is at 5:00 pm EST on Sunday at the Estadio Juan Quiros in Limon.

Sportsbooks have Limon as favorites for an away win at -111 with Universitarios at +265.

Unversitarios have lost four consecutive times and were beaten 3-1 in mid-week by Santos De Gaupiles when action resumed.

Limon were beaten 1-0 by Guadeloupe in the first game after the league’s resumption. They have won just once in their last four games.

My pleasure Jon, I believe if we do things right, #CostaRica 🇨🇷 can be a great example for other leagues in terms of how to restart play. We now have a huge responsibility with our country and the football world to make sure we deliver on our commitments https://t.co/IvNUSOa38d

— Juan Carlos Rojas (@presimorado) May 18, 2020

Surprisingly, Universitarios have only the eighth-worst record on the road with two wins, two draws and seven defeats.

Limon have six wins at home with two draws and three defeats – so the interest here in the draw is based largely on the idea that Universitarios must end their poor form at some time.

In total, Limon have won four times while drawing twice and losing 10 games.

It is also worth noting that Universitarios have conceded 13 times in their last three games. So picking the draw here will be to go out on a limb in the search for a value price.

In total, Limon have won four times while drawing twice and losing 10 games.

Universitarios have also lost 10 times while drawing three and winning three – and conceding 39 goals which is by far the worst defensive record in the competition.

Pick: Draw +265

Pick 3: Herediano vs Gaudelupe

Fifth-placed Guadelupe are wide outsiders against third-placed Herediano despite being on a decent run of form.

Books rate Gaudeloupe at +398 with Herediano at -175 and the draw at +316.

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— A Funny Old Game (@sid_lambert) April 5, 2019

The game takes place at the Estadio Cordero in Herediano at 8:00 pm EST on Sunday.

Guadelupe have won three times and drawn once in an unbeaten run of four games while Herediano have lost on their last two outings.

That promises value either for a home win or the draw.

Herediano returned to action after the shut-down with a 1-0 defeat away against the leaders Saprissa in mid-week.

Against this, Guadelupe’s form on the road has been poor with only one win, three draws and four defeats.

Herediano’s home record is in stark contrast with four wins, three defeats and one draw.

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— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) May 19, 2020

They returned to action after the shut-down with a 1-0 defeat away against the leaders Saprissa in mid-week.

Over the last eight matches, Guadeloupe have won four drawn three and lost only once. They scored 10 times and conceded nine.

In the same spell, Herediano won only twice, drew four times and lost twice – scoring 11 and conceding nine goals.

Pick: Draw +316