- Deportivo Riestra’s first ever competitive clash with Palestino Santiago is a fixture between two teams who both occupy 14th place in their respective domestic league tables.
- Riestra are winless (W0, D7, L5) in Argentina’s Liga Profesional, while Palestino have suffered four defeats in their last five fixtures (W1, D0, L4) across all competitions.
- Both sides are expected to approach the match in contrasting ways with the hosts, a direct, reactive team, against Palestino, who are a more possession-based and proactive outfit.
Sides to set their sights on a Copa Sudamericana success
Deportivo Riestra are taking to the Copa Sudamericana pitch for the first time in their history and they will be looking to take all three points from their Group F opener at home to Palestino Santiago on Wednesday. Our Deportivo Riestra vs Palestino Santiago prediction is that the hosts will try to make the most of their debut with a strong defensive approach.
Gustavo ‘Tata’ Benítez’s side currently sit 14th in Argentina’s Liga Profesional and have claimed just seven points from 12 games (W0, D7, L5). Their form is a mixed bag, with four draws in their last five domestic games and defeats in their two previous away matches.
The hosts have looked defensively solid, but have lacked a cutting edge in attack, failing to score in three of their previous five games. Goalkeeper Ignacio Arce has been the star of the show, saving shots and distributing the ball to create opportunities on the counter.
Sides are familiar foes
These sides have never faced each other in a senior game before, but they are well acquainted, and both know what they have to do to be successful in their own leagues. The Deportivo Riestra vs Palestino Santiago preview highlights that Benítez has been pragmatic in his approach, with his team sitting deep with five players and then pressing in certain areas of the field, but with a real intent to play counterattacking football.
Palestino will try to suffocate the home side with a ball possession game, and although they have had a poor start domestically (W2, D2, L4), they will feel that they can come to Buenos Aires and grab an early win to set the tone for the group.
Cristián ‘La Nona’ Muñoz’s side have struggled defensively, conceding 13 goals in their previous five fixtures, but their most recent defeat was a 6-1 hammering at the hands of champions Universidad Católica. They have some creativity in the midfield from Sebastián Gallegos and Julián Fernández and up front in Nelson da Silva, who will be hoping to put some of the team's troubles behind them. As this Deportivo Riestra vs Palestino Santiago prediction indicates, both sides may rely heavily on midfield play to gain an advantage.
Palestino set to make a mark
The visitors have been priced up at 3.8 for the win, which is a tempting proposition, but we are going to swerve that and stick with the betting market consensus, which is that the Over 2.5 goals market and Both Teams to Score - No are the way to go. For those looking for Deportivo Riestra vs Palestino Santiago betting tips, both teams' tendencies point toward low scoring and tight defense.
Both sides are going to play in a similar way to how they play in their domestic leagues, with Riestra looking to sit deep and frustrate Palestino while waiting for turnovers and set pieces to cause them problems. Jonathan ‘El Sultán’ Herrera will be their biggest threat, and is the all-time leading scorer for the Buenos Aires outfit.
Palestino are a more positive team, looking to control the game and create space in behind, but both teams will feel they can get the win. The Deportivo Riestra vs Palestino Santiago prediction for this clash is for a relatively cagey game, and at least one team will fail to find the net.
