Pumas is struggling but won't need much firepower to take down Mazatlan

It’s not hard to see why Mazatlan FC sits at the very bottom of the Liga MX table going into Saturday’s matchup with Pumas UNAM. They can’t keep the ball out of the net.

Mazatlan has allowed 19 goals through 10 games this season, tied for second-most in league play. Without the juggernaut of an offense necessary to overcome that type of scoring, Mazatlan has the second-worst scoring margin in Liga MX play at -8.

Pumas aren’t exactly world beaters, either, but they do enter the match significantly favored to win with -155 moneyline odds on Tipico Sportsbook. The odds on a Mazatlan win are +420, and odds on a tie are +270. The game starts Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on Univision or streamed on fuboTV. 

I’m riding the favored Pumas side due to recent scoring trends, but this game does hold some intrigue as they’ve struggled with consistency. After just two losses through their first nine matches, Pumas has lost three straight league games to fall to 13th on the table.

Last month, they were blanked by Tijuana, a team Mazatlan beat 2-0 a week later. And last weekend, Pumas gave up three goals to a Necaxa team that was held scoreless by Mazatlan a couple weeks earlier. 

Neither team has a league win since February, but Pumas did recently beat the New England Revolution in the CONCACAF Champions League. And that’s the root of my pick in this one. Pumas scored three goals in that match and have five total in their last three matches. You would have to combine Mazatlan’s last six games to get five goals.

Ultimately, I do think Mazatlan finds the net for at least one goal, as they have in their last two matches. But I think they lose 2-1 with +620 odds for a correct score value pick.

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