Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Leagues Cup match.
FC Juárez have made an impressive start to the Leagues Cup and are well-positioned to progress to the knockout round. To secure a place in the play-offs, they need to claim a victory in their final group match against New York Red Bulls, who have virtually no chances of progressing further and little motivation left.
New York Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls have underperformed in the Leagues Cup. In their opening game, they narrowly defeated Guadalajara (1:0), thanks to a 97th-minute goal from Emil Forsberg. A few days later, they only managed one goal again, this time against Monterrey, in a match they lost 2:1 on penalties. Across both fixtures, the squad posted a combined xG of just 1.84 — a disappointing statistic considering the level of opposition.
FC Juárez
Juárez are in excellent form. They opened their tournament campaign with a comprehensive 4:1 win over Charlotte FC. Despite some difficulties, they then managed to overcome FC Cincinnati via a 3:2 penalty shootout. Their attacking unit has been the key to success, orchestrated by Guilherme Castilho, who has already contributed three goal involvements (1+2).
New York Red Bulls vs FC Juárez Prediction
The hosts may be regarded as favourites, but Juárez have delivered far better performances in this competition, even against stronger opponents. The visitors need to collect points in this fixture, and even if they do not win in regulation time, they are unlikely to be beaten before a penalty shootout.
