Club Nacional vs River Plate Prediction: Can Nacional Continue their Dominance Over River?

In the upcoming fixture of the Uruguayan Primera Division, Matchday 8, Nacional will be up against River Plate at the Estadio Gran Parque Central in Montevideo. Going in the contest, all teams are looking to close in on the standings and minimize the goal-scoring difference. Nacional stands 5th with 3 wins and 12 points, whereas River Plate stands 8th with 3 wins and 11 points. With the points margin and goals difference squeezing, teams will be focusing on winning big in their upcoming fixtures. The last time Nacional and River Plate met was in September 2022, and the match resulted in a draw (1-1). Moreover, in the last 5 matches played between the two, Nacional has won twice and River Plate has only won once. 

Going in the matchup, Club Nacional is coming off a draw against Deportivo Maldonado (0-0) and a win against Boston River (3-1). Going forward in the match, Club Nacional will be backing its recent goal scorers, Ignacio Ramirez, Daniel Bocanegra, and Emanuel Gigliotti. Club Nacional is looking to stay unbeaten, as in the last 4 matches played, Nacional has produced 2 draws and 2 wins. With a goal-scoring average of 1.9 goals per game, Club Nacional is likely to press on the paddle and win by a comprehensive margin against River Plate. Club Nacional has scored 77 goals in 42 matches against River Plate, averaging 1.83 goals per game. If Nacional performs according to this stat, the upcoming match could result in a one-sided encounter.

Going in the matchup, River Plate is coming off a defeat against Penarol (1-0), in which River Plate did fail as a unit to score the equalizer in the second half of play. Moreover, yellow card fouls distracted the overall gameplay. and substitutions also didn’t work for them. Coach Gustavo Diaz will be confident for aligning his players again for the upcoming important match against Club Nacional. River Plate has managed to stay unbeaten at halftime in all of its last 12 league matches, which is why it will be focusing on taking the attack to the opposition. However, their recent away form is also a concern, as they haven’t scored a single goal in the last three away matches. In the last 5 matches played, River Plate has scored 6 goals but also has failed to score in three matches. When playing against Nacional, River Plate has scored 52 goals at an average of 1.24 goals per game. However, their recent match form suggests that they will be struggling to score against Nacional tomorrow. 

Going in the matchup, Nacional will walk in as favorites. Firstly, they have the recent form and home advantage. Secondly, they carry a very solid head-to-head record against River Plate in terms of wins and goals scored. Thirdly, the current goal-scoring and conceding an average of Nacional is quite better than River. Hence, I am expecting a 2-0 win for Nacional, and the match total to remain under 2.5 goals. 

• Nacional De Football to Win for 1.50
• Total Under 2.5 for 1.95
• Both Teams to Score - No for 1.905