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Nicaragua Primera Division Odds & Picks: Clausura Semifinals Leg 1

John Dillon

by John Dillon in Soccer News

Updated Apr 27, 2020 · 9:02 AM PDT

It's the semifinal stage of the Primera Liga Clasura playoffs in Nicaragua. We tee up both matches of the final four teams and give our best betting advice.
  • Two weekend fixtures in Nicaragua Primera Division Clausura playoffs
  •  Diriangen unbeaten in five games ahead of home clash with Real Esteli
  • See all odds and best bets for Nicaragua Primera Division Clausura semifinals

Soccer has continued in Nicaragua during the Coronavirus pandemic with the Primera Liga Clausura competition now reaching its playoff semifinal stage.

In the first two-legged clash, second-place finishers Real Esteli now take their place in the playoffs in an away clash with Diriangen on Saturday at the Estadio Cacique in Diriamba at 9pm ET.

Managua finished top of the 10-team regular season stage and enter the postseason phase on Sunday with a last four tie away against Walter Ferretti at the Estadio Nacional in Managua at 9pm ET.

Walter Ferretti and Diriangen reached the semifinal stage after winning in the quarterfinals played between the teams which finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth in the regular season table.

Diriangen vs Real Esteli  Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Diriangen pk (-121) +166 Un2 (-119)
Real Esteli pk (-108) +181 Ov2 (-111)
Draw N/A +189 N/A

*Odds taken at 2020/04/25

Pick 1: Diriangen vs Real Esteli

Diriangen were third-placed finishers in the regular season and then advanced to the playoff semifinals with a 1-0 win at home against Juventus Managua last Wednesday.

That victory extended Diriangen’s unbeaten run to five matches after they finished the regular competition on a fruitful run of two wins and two draws.

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Real Esteli finished in second place, seven points behind leaders Managua and also staged a run of two wins and two draws in their final four league matches.

Diriangen are +166 favorites to win with Real Esteli at +181. The draw is +189 and given the recent form of both teams and the fact that it could be cagey with a second leg to come, that looks the best value on offer.

These two teams also met in the playoff semifinal of this season’s prior Apertura competition.

After a 0-0 draw in the opening game at Real Esteli’s HQ, a 1-1 draw in the return leg after extra time meant they advanced to the two-legged final on the away goals rule.

They were beaten in two-legged final by Managua.

Diriangen have amassed one of the most impressive runs of home form in this Clausura campaign.

The league season in Nicaragua is split into two sections with the 2019-20 Apertura played between August and December and the Clausura competition running from January until May 2020.

Diriangen have amassed one of the most impressive runs of home form in this Clausura campaign.

The quarterfinal defeat of Juventus Managua was their ninth successive match without defeat on their own turf.

However, Real Esteli had the most impressive away statistics in the regular season with five wins, two draws and only two defeats on the road.

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There was a goalless draw when Esteli hosted Diriangen on April 16. A 2-0 win for Diriangen was the outcome in the prior fixture on March 15.

Nicaragua is one of the tiny number of nations where regular soccer has carried on, although players have confessed that they have reduced physical contact with opponents. The matches are played behind closed doors.

Pick: Draw (+189)

Walter Ferretti vs Managua Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Walter Ferretti pk (+104) +192 Un2 (+100)
Managua pk (-138) +144 Ov2 (-133)
Draw N/A +204 N/A

Pick 2: Walter Ferretti vs Managua

Walter Ferretti have been one of the most in-form teams of recent weeks. They advanced to the semi-finals following a 5-1 hammering of Municipal Jalapa in last Thursday’s quarterfinal.

That made it five wins from their last six matches after their fourth-placed finish in the regular season.

They have won their last five matches at home while keeping four clean sheets.

Managua are favorites to win at +144 odds with Walter Ferretti priced at +192. The draw is +204.

After two victories against Ferretti in this Clausura campaign, Managua are surprisingly good value at +144.

Ferretti’s in-form striker Dshon Forbes scored a hat-trick in the 5-1 defeat of Juventus Managua in the quarterfinal.

Walter Ferretti were defeated 1-0 by Managua on the final day of the regular season on April 18 – with Managua also the last team to win at Ferretti’s HQ with a 1-0 victory on March 19.

Ferretti’s in-form striker Dshon Forbes scored a hat-trick in the 5-1 defeat of Juventus Managua in the quarterfinal.

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Managua are the nation’s biggest outfit and have the psychological advantage of having eliminated Ferretti in the Apertura playoff semifinals earlier in the 2019/20 season.

After 2-2 draws in both legs of the tie, Managua won a penalty shootout 5-3.

Managua racked up a record of 13 wins, three draws and only two defeats on the way to their first place finish in the regular season.

Both those defeats came on the road, while they won five times and drew twice on their travels.

They have not been beaten away from home in five fixtures since early March, winning three times and drawing twice.

In total, Ferretti won six times at home while drawing once and losing twice in the regular season.

Pick: Managua (+144)

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