Joralexray Garcia
This Thursday, February 23, the first leg of the second stage of the qualifying round of the 2023 Copa Libertadores will see action. One of the matchups will be Deportivo Maldonado vs Fortaleza, in which both teams know how important it is to get a good result in the first game of the series.
Without any more delay, at JefeBet we present our analysis, predictions, and other information on the duel between these two teams, Deportivo Maldonado vs Fortaleza, which corresponds to the second stage of the 2023 Copa Libertadores.
Predictions, Odds, and Betting Preview for the Deportivo Maldonado vs Fortaleza Copa Libertadores Second Stage First Leg Game on February 23, 2023
- Where: Domingo Burgueño Miguel Stadium, Maldonado, Uruguay
- When: Thursday, February 23, 2023, 7:00 PM ET
- Moneyline: Deportivo Maldonado (+230) / Tie (+230) / Fortaleza (+110)
- Asian Handicap: Deportivo Maldonado (AH +0.25, -103) / Fortaleza (AH -0.25, -115)
- Over/Under (2.5): Over (+120) / Under (-148)
- Both teams score: Yes (-109) / No (-120)
Odds given by Unibet.
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Betting on Deportivo Maldonado
Deportivo Maldonado will be making its debut in South America’s most influential tournament after being the third-best qualified team in Uruguay’s first division in 2022, something quite remarkable considering that until 2019 it was playing in the second tier of the country.
Their 2023 start in the local tournament could motivate the Verdirrojos (Green-and-Reds) to achieve a positive result, considering that they have not lost yet after three games played (they won one match and drew the other two), keeping two clean sheets in the process.
Their performance at home is also quite encouraging, as they have lost only one of their last 10 official home games.
Possible Lineup (4-2-3-1): Guillermo Reyes; Guillermo Cotugno, Ángel Cayetano, Martín Ferreira, Agustín Alfaro; Nicolás Queiroz, Facundo Piriz; Eduardo Darías, Maximiliano Cantera, Hernán Toledo; Claudio Spinelli.
Betting on Fortaleza
Fortaleza, meanwhile, will be playing in its second consecutive Copa Libertadores after being the seventh-best team in the Brazilian championship in 2022. The Brazilian team will be looking to at least surpass what it did in its debut season, in which it got to the round of 16, where it was eliminated by Estudiantes de La Plata, the Argentinean team, by a 4-1 thrashing.
The usual hectic start to the year for Brazilian teams has been positive for Fortaleza, which has won eight of the 10 matches it has played so far this calendar year. However, with those two defeats coming on the road, the team knows it should not take this match lightly despite being the favorite.
Possible Lineup (4-4-2): Fernando Miguel; Bryan Ceballos, Bruno Pacheco, Caio Alexandre, Hércules; Marcelo Benevenuto, Pedro Rocha, Tomás Pochettino, Thiago Galhardo; Tinga, Yago Pikachu.
JefeBet Prediction
Maldonado has performed well in 2023, with defense being their main weapon so far. However, in this Deportivo Maldonado vs Fortaleza matchup, they will not have an easy task against a Fortaleza team that has scored at least two goals in four of their last six official matches.
Brazilian teams generally dominate these early stages of the tournament, so while Maldonado should fight until the end, we expect Fortaleza to prevail and take the win.
Prediction: Fortaleza Moneyline (MAL 1-2 FOR).
