Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Colombian Primera A match.
Alianza Petrolera
Alianza Petrolera travelled to face Apertura runners-up Independiente Medellín in Colombia’s second-largest city. The squad spent much of the match on the back foot—not just due to limited attacking options, but also because the game demanded defensive discipline. Ayron del Valle gave the hosts an early lead in the fourth minute. Alianza Petrolera absorbed pressure for most of the contest and conceded only once from 21 attempts on goal—one of which beat Francisco Chaverra to level the score at 1:1.
Deportivo Pereira
Deportivo Pereira took a different path. They had to fight back from a goal down at home against reigning champions Santa Fe. That made the challenge even tougher. Things turned in their favour when the visiting goalkeeper was sent off—though not before kneeing a Deportivo Pereira forward in the face. Making the most of their attacks down the right wing, the team clawed back the deficit and secured a 2:2 draw.
Alianza Petrolera vs Deportivo Pereira Prediction
Deportivo Pereira were fortunate to come away with a point in their opener, and now head into a challenging away fixture. They struggled consistently on the road during the Apertura, managing just one win in ten away matches and finishing 17th in the away standings. A win here seems improbable. That said, Alianza Petrolera are not the most reliable either, so backing a draw with a zero handicap appears to be the most measured approach.
