Chivas Guadalajara vs. Santos Laguna prediction, odds: 2022 Mexican Liga MX expert picks, bets for July 16

Santos Laguna will try to regain the form it showed in its opener when it hosts Chivas Guadalajara on Saturday night at Estadio Nuevo Laguna. Los Guerreros kicked off the season with a thrilling 4-3 win against Monterrey on July 3, but that offense disappeared five days later in a 1-0 loss to Puebla. But now Santos faces a Chivas team that has yet to score a goal heading into Matchweek 3 of Torneo Apertura. Chivas opened with a 0-0 draw with Juarez, then was kept off the score sheet again in a 1-0 loss to Puebla last Saturday. But Los Rojiblancos took a 0-0 draw at Santos last season before winning the most recent league meeting 1-0 in Guadalajara in March. Chivas also won a friendly meeting last month 3-1.

Kickoff is set for 8:05 p.m. ET in Torreon, Mexico. Santos is the +130 favorite (risk $100 to win $130) on the 90-minute moneyline in the latest Guadalajara vs. Santos Laguna odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Chivas is a +215 underdog, a regulation draw is priced +210 and the over-under for total goals scored is set at 2.5. Before locking in any Santos Laguna vs. Chivas Guadalajara picks, you need to see the Liga MX predictions from soccer insider Jon ‘Buckets’ Eimer.

Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, Eimer has covered the English Premier League, Serie A, the FA Cup and much more. The Indiana-based handicapper is 5-1-1 on Liga MX picks this season. That is part of a big-time heater on soccer picks overall, as he is 78-56-1 in his last 135 selections, for a profit of almost $1,700 for $100 bettors. 

Now, Eimer has broken down the Santos Laguna vs. Guadalajara matchup from every angle and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Guadalajara vs. Santos Laguna:

• Chivas vs. Santos spread: Santos Laguna -0.5 (+110)
• Chivas vs. Santos over-under: 2.5 goals
• Chivas vs. Santos money line: Guadalajara +205, Santos +135, Draw +215
• Chivas: It has scored more than once three times in its past 14 matches.
• Santos: It has posted two or more goals six times in its past 14 games.
• Chivas vs. Santos picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why you should back Chivas Guadalajara

Guadalajara hasn’t failed to score for lack of chances. It has 33 shots in the first two games, tied for sixth-most in the league, with nine on goal. Santos has struggled to protect its net, yielding 34 shots and 15 of those on target. That’s a 44.1-percent rate, second-worst in the league. On the flip side, Chivas has allowed just 15 shots and two on net (13.3 percent, best in Liga MX). It also should control the tempo, as it holds 56 percent possession compared to 47 for Santos.

Chivas held the ball for 60 percent of the last league meeting and outshot Santos 14-8. It has been strong defensively, allowing 13 goals in last season’s Apertura (third-fewest in the league) and 21 in the Clausura (eighth-fewest), while Santos allowed 41 overall. Chivas has the talent to score goals, led by Alexis Vega (five goals, five assists in 2021-22) and Roberto Alvarado (three goals, four assists). Angel Zaldivar led the team with seven goals, five coming on penalty kicks.

Why you should back Santos Laguna

Los Guerreros scored 10 more goals than Guadalajara over the two campaigns last season, and it was second in the league in shots (506) and third in attempts on target (162). Chivas had almost 100 fewer shots (419), and its focus is on the defensive end, so if Santos can get on the board, goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo should be able to hold the lead. He leads Liga MX with 11 saves and had a 70.2 save percentage last year but needs more protection from the back line.

The home team is 6-2-0 in the past eight meetings, and the bulk of the Santos’ core lineup returned for the Apertura. Brian Lozano went back to Uruguay, but Fernando Gorriaran, who had six goals last season, can carry the attack. Harold Preciado had six goals in 14 games last season and put a league-best 69.7 percent of his shots on target (23 of 33). Eduardo Aguirre (four goals) and Leonardo Suarez (two goals in 13 games) also proved to be capable scorers.   

How to make Guadalajara vs. Santos Laguna picks

Eimer has analyzed Saturday’s Chivas vs. Santos match from every angle. He is going under on the goal total and has provided a confident best bet on the winner, along with a full breakdown of the match. He’s only sharing those picks here.

So who wins Santos vs. Chivas in Saturday’s Mexican Liga MX matchup? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the Chivas Guadalajara vs. Santos Laguna match, all from the soccer expert who is on a 78-56-1 heater.