Nicaragua Primera Division third-place club Diriagen FC host eighth-place Real Madriz on Saturday in round 18 of the Nicaragua Primera Division. The two sides are separated by 15 points in the league table.
Diriagen are fighting for a Nicaragua Primera Division clausura title and sit just seven points back of league leaders Managua. The Caciques have slipped in recent rounds allowing Managua to open up a larger lead.
The club are coming off of back to back draws in the Primera Division. Their most recent fixture was played on Thursday and ended nil-nil against Real Esteli. Diriagen will hope for better when Real Madriz come to the Estadio Caciques Diriagen.
Real Madriz are coming off of a win on Thursday versus Chinandega, 2-0. Los Merengues got two second-half goals from Ulises Rayo to claim a first win in six attempts. The win against Chinandega propelled Real Madriz to the 17-point mark, four points above ninth-placed Deportivo Ocotal.
Diriagen are unbeaten in six straight matches versus Real Madriz. The Caciques have won three consecutive fixtures against Real Madriz and should be able to gain another three points at home this weekend.
The Caciques could pull within a maximum of four points to league leaders Managua. The Primera Division’s top club have a difficult fixture at home versus fourth-placed Walter Ferretti.
The last four matches between Diriagen and Real Madriz saw the former keep clean sheets in each fixture. Real Madriz have not breached the Diriagen defence in more than 360 minutes of football and that is unlikely to change this weekend.
Diriagen leading goalscorer Danilo Zuniga goes into the fixture in good form. He has tallied five goals in the clausura with four of those strikers being the first goal of matches.
The home club do not score a lot of goals. They have posted just 19 strikes in the clausura while conceding 10 times. If Diriagen are to win the clausura title, they must improve in both areas.
Real Madriz have allowed 25 goals in 17 matches, which is the third-most of the 10-team league. They have only scored 14 times which is also the third-fewest in the division.
Diriagen are on a great unbeaten run against Real Madrid and will continue that streak this weekend. The Caciques will post a fifth straight clean sheet and put goals past a poor Real Madriz defence.
Expect both teams not to score and over 2.5 goals as Diriagen send Real Madriz to another loss.