Santos will receive Pumas next Saturday at 5:00pm PST at TSM Estadio Corona in a game that seems very interesting, as both teams are not in a good moment.
Pumas with two consecutive losses
Pumas had a bad game at home against Toluca, and just when it all seemed to end up in a tie, a penalty gave the win to the visitors. This placed more pressure on Del Olmo, who does not seem to catch a break and cannot get a line up that appears to be effective. He keeps trying too hard by playing a 5-2-3 when, for starters, he should abide to a traditional 4-4-2. He is aiming to be offensive, but with the hard adaptation of players like Villa and Garcia, it’s going to cost Del Olmo harsh criticism from fans.
Next game, without a doubt, Del Olmo will try the same formation and is unlikely to replace any players from last game. We will see if the ownership at the feline institution (i.e. UNAM) can support another loss if this were to happen.
Santos with illness of the champions – The Hangover
Many say that once a team becomes champion they are doomed to have a poor next season, and for many teams that has actually happened. Santos is no exception, and now here they are starting with two wins, a tie, and a loss versus Leon last week. All in all, one could say that Santos’ numbers are not too bad, but not what most had expected. One fact that is considerable, is that Oribe Peralta was not with them (he was off winning a Gold Medal) and ergo their offense was not the same.
Against Pumas, Santos have a pretty good chance to show why they are the champions; however, players like Quintero, Baloy and Lugo might not be starting as they were called-up by their national teams for the FIFA friendlies this week. Also, players like Suarez and Mares are recovering from injuries, which would make it hard for Galindo to arm an offensive squad.
Prediction: This will be an even game, due to the lack of some players from Santos and the pressure for Pumas to get a win. The ball will be mainly fought through the middle of the field. Still, Santos has a better chance to earn the three points at home. A score of 2-1 for Santos seems like the best guess.
Television: The Santos vs Pumas match will be shown on Telefutura at 5:00 PM PST this Saturday, August 18th.
