Preview: Union vs. Independiente - prediction, team news, lineups

Having failed to win any of the last five meetings between the sides, Sebastian Mendez's men will head into the weekend looking to get one over the visitors.

Match preview

Union continue to struggle for results on home turf as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Lanus when the sides squared off at the Estadio 15 de Abril last Sunday.

Following a drab first half, Imanol Machuca broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark, but former Union man Franco Troyansky struck eight minutes later to force a share of the spoils.

Prior to that, Mendez's men saw their run of three consecutive victories come to an end on June 12 when they played out a 1-1 draw with Newell's Old Boys at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa.

With Sunday's result, Union have now failed to win six of their last seven home games across all competitions, claiming two draws and losing four, including a penalty-shootout defeat against Almagro in the Copa Argentina on May 10.

The Tatengue have picked up four wins, eight draws and lost eight of their 20 matches so far to collect 20 points and sit 24th in the Primera Division table, one point and two places below Saturday's visitors.

Independiente, on the other hand, returned to winning ways last time out when they edged out 10-man Sarmiento 2-0 at the Estadio Libertadores de America.

In a game where Guido Mainero received his marching orders, Argentine forward Matias Gimenez Rojas turned in a performance of the highest quality as he scored in both halves to hand the home side a comfortable victory.

Prior to that, Ricardo Zielinski's men were on a run of three consecutive games without a win, suffering defeats to Arsenal de Sarandi and Godoy Cruz on either side of a 1-1 draw with Lanus on May 28.

While Independiente will be looking to pick up successive league wins for the first time since last September, they have struggled for results on the road, where they have managed just one league win this season and are currently on a nine-match run.

However, El Rojo will fancy their chances of ending this poor run on Saturday as they take on a Union side who currently hold the division's worst home record, having picked up nine points from nine home games this season.

Independiente are also on a five-match unbeaten streak against Saturday's hosts and have lost just one of their last 14 meetings, claiming five wins and eight draws since November 2011.

Union Argentine Primera Division form:

L

W

W

W

D

D

Independiente Argentine Primera Division form:

D

W

L

D

L

W

Team News

With his assist against Lanus, Mauro Luna Diale now has four goal involvements in his last four outings and the 24-year-old will be one to keep an eye on.

Diale should be joined in attack by Machuca and teenage sensation Jeronimo Domina, while Nicolas Paz and Franco Calderon should form the centre-back pairing once again.

On the injury front, Mendez will be unable to call upon the services of 21-year-old forward Daniel Juarez, who has missed the last four matches after picking up a meniscus injury against Central Cordoba on May 19.

As far as Independiente are concerned, Argentine forward Santiago Salle will play no part in this weekend's encounter after coming off with a hamstring injury back in May.

He is joined on the visitors' injury table by fellow countryman Sergio Barreto, who is set to sit out his fifth consecutive game after suffering a sprained knee in the game against Tigres on May 13.

Union possible starting lineup:

Moyano; Vera, Paz, Calderon, Corvalan; Diale, Roldan, Gordillo, Zenon; Machuca, Domina

Independiente possible starting lineup:

Rey; Barcia, Elizalde, Baez, Costa; Martinez, Ortiz, Marcone, Sarrafiore; Rojas, Cauteruccio

We say: Union 0-1 Independiente

Buoyed by their victory over Sarmiento, Independiente will head into the weekend with renewed belief as they look to put together a fine run of form. Zielinski's men have enjoyed the better of this fixture, and given Union's current struggles at home, we predict that they will claim all three points at the Estadio 15 de Abril.

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