Nicaragua Clausura Odds & Picks April 5: Jalapa vs Chinandega & Walter Ferretti vs Real Esteli
- Fourth-placed Jalapa meets sixth-placed Chinandega as Liga Primera continues
- Esteli is in second and undefeated in the last five matches
- See all Odds and Best Bets for Nicaragua Clausura Sunday fixtures
Top level soccer is continuing in the central American nation of Nicaragua during the global Coronoavirus crisis.
Two matches in the Primera Liga Clausura competition are due to take place on Sunday in one of only four countries where it is believed league football has continued – with Belarus, Burundi and Tajikistan also maintaining their schedules.
Jalapa are in fourth place and meet sixth-placed Chinandega while fifth-placed Walter Ferretti take on Real Esteli, who are second.
Nicaragua Clausura Odds
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jalapa | -1 (-120) | (-243) | Ov2½ (+104) |
| Chinandega | +1 (+100) | (+355) | Un2½ (-124) |
| Draw | N/A | +278 | N/A |
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total Odds |
| Walter Ferretti | (N/A) | (+202) | Un2, 2½ (+115) |
| Real Esteli | (N/A) | (-124) | Ov2, 2½ (-135) |
| Draw | N/A | +235 | N/A |
Odds taken April 5.
With most of the worldwide game in suspension, the gambling industry has focused upon the Nicaraguan league, which has 10 teams.
Online sportsbooks price Jalapa as -243 favorites to win at home against Chinandega (April 5, 6 pm ET), who are rated at +355. The draw is +278.
Two Straight Wins for Jalapa
ART Municipal Jalapa are fresh from a 2-1 victory away against ninth-placed Deportivo Ocotal last Thursday. This followed a 2-0 win against Juventus Managua, who are currently seventh in the table.
In six home Primera Division fixtures at their HQ in the north of the country, they have impressively won five times and drawn once in this Clausura campaign.
Their overall record stood at six wins, three draws and four defeats after 13 matches.
Chinandega has won just once in the past five matches and recently suffered a 7-0 thrashing away against Walter Ferreti.
They enjoyed a goal difference of plus three after scoring 15 times and conceding 12 .
By contrast, Chinandega has won just once in the past five matches and recently suffered a 7-0 thrashing away against Walter Ferreti.
They recovered with a 4-0 home win against Juventus Managua in their most recent fixture last Wednesday.
The team has yet to win on the road in this Clausura campaign with their record away from their base in the nation’s north-west standing at four defeats and two draws.
Overall, they have recorded four wins, three draws and six defeats while scoring 14 times and conceding 20 goals.
Pick: Jalapa (-1 -120).
Split League Structure
The Nicaraguan system is split into two competitions.
The Torneo de Apertura takes place from August until November . The Torneo de Clausura runs from January to May.
Each campaign stages a playoff of the top four teams over a two-legged semifinal and final.
Some players in Nicaragua have expressed fears about the continuation of the competition and league officials have stated that it could be suspended if the health situation there deteriorates.
Northern-based Real Esteli were the Clausura champions in 2019 and have won 13 national championships in total.
However, as of last Friday, there were only five recorded cases of Coronavirus in the country.
Northern-based Real Esteli were the Clausura champions in 2019 and have won 13 national championships in total.
The Primera Liga de Nicaragua is one of only four leagues believed to have survived the #coronavirus lockdown, along with those in Belarus, Burundi and Tajikistan.https://t.co/8fBVt7FIzO
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 5, 2020
Online sportsbooks make Esteli – 124 favorites to win away against Walter Ferretti (April 5, 7pm ET), who are priced at +202. The draw is +235.
Esteli are currently enjoying a successful run of four wins and one draw – with the winning streak of four games ending in their most recent fixture, a 1-1 result away against league leaders Managua FC.
Overall, they have won eight matches and drawn three while losing only twice.
Leading Goalscorers in Competition
They are the current Clausura’s leading scorers with 24 goals and have conceded only eight times.
Their away record stands at three wins, two draws and only one defeat.
So as there’s no football in the UK, I’ve decided to follow @realestelifc from Nicaragua, who play in the Liga Primera de Nicaragua.
Good luck today El Tren del Norte! go get the win lads! 🔴⚪️🚂 pic.twitter.com/UUCjnc8RW4
— DanShaw (@danielUknow96) April 2, 2020
Walter Ferretti were originally the team of the police force and are based at the National Football Stadium in the capital of Managua.
They were Apertura champions in 2017.
The team has won three times at home in this campaign while drawing once and losing twice – with the highlight being that 7-0 hammering of Chinandega in the most recent game on their own patch.
Their overall record includes five wins, three draws and three defeat – with 23 goals scored and 17 conceded.
Pick: Real Esteli (-135).
John Dillon is a leading member of the UK's sporting media, having spent three decades as a national newspaper soccer and sports writer, broadcaster and author. He has covered five World Cups, six European Championships and was Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Express for 14 years.
