Liga MX Guardianes Round 12 Odds & Picks: Lezcano’s Hot Goal Streak Can Inspire Juarez

• Eight fixtures ahead as the battle for playoff places intensifies
• Pumas meet struggling Necaxa before the collision of high-flyers Cruz Azul and America
• See all odds and best bets for Mexico’s Liga MX Guardianes Round 12 below

Mexico’s Liga MX Guardianes competition enters Round 12 with the battle for end-of-season playoff places coming into view.

The leaders ahead of the weekend’s eight fixtures are Cruz Azul after a run of three straights wins – with Leon in second place and Club America third.

Liga MX Guardianes Round 12 Odds

Odds taken on September 24 at DraftKings

Pick 1: Juarez vs Atlas

Juarez have found some form in recent weeks thanks to the consistent goal-scoring of Paraguayan forward Dario Lezcano.

After two successive wins, they look well-priced favorites for a win at +110 at home against a stuttering Atlas team at 11:30 pm ET on Friday.

Saturday’s visitors to Juarez have lost once and drawn twice since their last win and are in 14th place.

It leaves Atlas priced at +235 with the draw at +240.

There have been only three defeats for 10th-placed Juarez all season with only one at their own HQ against Chivas Guadalajara back on August 13.

COVID-19 still affecting the Liga MX (via @Jmart1018) https://t.co/jcSztcLuhQ #Guard1anes2020

— Viva Liga MX (@VivaLigaMX) September 20, 2020

The good form of striker Lezcano has elevated him into a group of six players who are joint third top goalscorers in the competition with five goals.

Atlas have won only twice all season with neither victory coming on the road.

In fact, the 30-year-old has hit the net in four consecutive matches – delivering the winners in both the most recent 1-0 defeat of Puebla at home and the prior success by the same score-line away at Toluca.

Atlas has won only twice all season with neither victory coming on the road.

If I'm looking at some of the other ratings right, this is more than triple the audience of any other soccer game televised in the U.S. last week. #LigaMXeng https://t.co/UsfOUTCJSN

— Cesar Hernandez (@cesarhfutbol) September 23, 2020

They were beaten 1-0 at home by Pachuca in their most recent outing. This followed two successive draws by 1-1 at home against fellow strugglers Mazatlan and by 1-1 away at Monterrey.

They have drawn three of their four away matches while losing once which could make the tie interesting at +240.

But Juarez have some momentum as well as an in-form goal-getter and should pull out the home win.

Pick: Juarez +110

Pick 2: Pumas UNAM vs Necaxa

Pumas UNAM are riding high in fourth place and have an inviting home match against bottom club Necaxa at 9:00 pm ET on Saturday.

With 20 goals so far in this Apertura campaign, Pumas are the joint second-leading scorers in the competition while Necaxa have conceded 17 times – and have lost their last five league games.

It makes the Draftkings spread offer for Pumas to win by at least three goals look good value at +300 (Asian Handicap (1.75 +300). Even a two-goal win with this bet would net you a smaller return.

Before a 2-0 defeat by third-placed Leon in their most recent game  – their first setback of the season – Pumas had recorded four straight wins while scoring an impressive 12 goals in the process.

Cabecita at the 🔝 with 10 goals⚽#LigaMXeng | #LigaBBVAMX | #Guard1anes2020 pic.twitter.com/xTK6L9wF8j

— El Tri Online (@eltrionline) September 22, 2020

They hit three or more in three successive games as they overcame Tijuana at home by 3-0 and then followed up with a 4-1 win against Puebla, also at their own base.

After that came a 2-1 win away at Santos Laguna before another convincing victory at their own HQ by 3-0 against Atletico San Luis.

Pumas boast the league’s third top-scoring individual in 26-year-old Argentine forward Juan Dinneno who has a tally of seven goals

These home game statistics make the spread offer look an attractive one.

The team boasts the league’s third top-scoring individual in 26-year-old Argentine forward Juan Dinneno who has a tally of seven goals in the current competition.

Pumas’ 2-0 loss to Léon was their first this season after 10 games.

They were four games from the Torneos Cortos record held by Chivas (14, Invierno 2001) 🏅#ligamxeng pic.twitter.com/yCDXd5pU7x

— FMF State of Mind (@FMFSoM) September 22, 2020

He has been most prolific in home matches – getting five of his goals on home turf.

Meanwhile, struggling Necaxa have lost three times and drawn only once in away fixtures and have only two wins to their name in this campaign – both at home.

Pick: Pumas UNAM +300 (Asian Handicap -1.75)

Pick 3: Cruz Azul vs Club America

Current leaders Cruz Azul face Club America in the most enticing fixture of Round 12 on Sunday.

America are presently in third place.

With Cruz Azul having won six of their last seven matches and America on a similar run with four victories out of five, both teams are clearly in form as the battle for top four automatic playoff qualifying places begins.

The Uruguayan forward Jonathan Rodriguez of Cruz Azul is the competition’s leading goalscorer with 10 strikes – four in his last three games.

Starting the week off with hard work… 👊 pic.twitter.com/Uvb8PqTpBG

— Club América EN (@ClubAmerica_EN) September 22, 2020

He scored twice in the most recent win by 3-2 away to lowly Mazatlan.

America are the league’s leading goalscorers with 22 but have shown defensive frailty by conceding 15 times.

Their goalscoring duties have been shared around with both Martin Josue and Vinas Federico claiming five each.

For me, Cruz Azul at home priced at +115 for a win is the best bet in this match.

Pick: Cruz Azul +115