The first leg of the Queretaro vs Santos Liga MX playoffs will take place this Sunday, November 24, 2013 (6:00 PM Pacific) at the Estadio La Corregidora. Gallos Blancos enters the ‘liguilla’ as the 7th seed after 26 points. Although not the favorite to go deep into the postseason, they will attempt to defeat Santos Laguna who finished 2nd in the regular standings with 33 points.
Related: Liga MX Apertura 2013 Liguilla (Playoffs) TV Schedule
Queretaro is seen as the team with the lowest opportunity of reaching the Apertura 2013 finals in this ‘liguilla’. While they finished the season in 7th place and only 1 point behind the 5th place team, Gallos Blancos are not the favorites considering they are the team with the least experience in postseasons. Nonetheless, this is a team which has been a nice surprise since the beginning of the season, which is well-coached, and who has a good midfield.
The team coached by Pedro Caixinha cannot play relaxed against Queretaro. While Santos is the favorite to win the series, they will have to defeat a team which could very well become the dark horse in the playoffs. The ‘laguneros’ did not win in their past two games, but they still managed to finish in 2nd place in the league with an outstanding 32 goals. Santos has to play an intelligent game this Sunday in Queretaro, where a counter-attacking system may be their best bet. Leaving the first leg with a tie or a win will be a huge advantage when playing at home next Sunday.
Queretaro vs Santos Prediction
The Queretaro vs Santos first leg match will be very contested on the midfield. Both teams did not have outstanding defensive performances throughout the Apertura 2013, while their midfields were their biggest strengths. Gallos Blancos will play offensively because in order to have a chance at winning the series, they are almost required to win the first leg at home. Meanwhile, Santos Laguna is the favorite to win, therefore their focus for this match will be to not concede any goals. The Queretaro vs Santos match will be a tough meet, however, the visitors will be victorious with a 2-1 score.
Queretaro vs Santos TV Schedule
The Queretaro vs Santos match will be televised this Sunday, November 24, 2013 on ESPN Deportes and Azteca America at 6:00 PM Pacific.
