- Team form: Godoy Cruz are unbeaten at home in Primera Nacional 2026 (W6, D4)
- Away form: Central Norte Salta have lost 7 and won only 2 of their 11 Primera Nacional 2026 away games to date
- Players to watch: Pino is Godoy Cruz's main danger man with 7 goals in 20 appearances and is Godoy Cruz's most dangerous player
Godoy Cruz should be good enough to nick it
Central Norte Salta might be the most solid, compact side in Primera Nacional 2026 and that should make Sunday's game a scrap, but Godoy Cruz should have enough quality and intensity to edge out their opponents. Pablo De Muner took over as Godoy Cruz coach on 5 May 2026 and has installed a proactive 4-4-2 system with lots of tempo, wide play and pressing to make his side the protagonists.
At home, this is a formula that should suit them as they have averaged 1.60 goals per game, scoring 16 goals, which should be enough to boss games at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.
Central Norte Salta, on the other hand, have been content to sit deep, limit the space in the middle third and hit on counterattack. Mario Sciacqua, appointed as Central Norte Salta coach on 29 April 2026, has done a great job to keep his team afloat with a five-man defense and counter set-piece play often being their best chance of a goal.
Central Norte will make a stand
Recent form and table:
Both teams come into the game in mixed-to-poor form with Godoy Cruz winning two and losing three of their last five games while Central Norte have won one, drawn two and lost two of theirs. Godoy Cruz are 16th in the table on 28 points after 20 games while Central Norte sit in 34th spot on 19 points from the same number of games. Central Norte won 1-0 at home four weeks ago, however, so they will have a little spring in their step ahead of Sunday's clash.
Away record and scoring:
Central Norte are winless in two away games, having drawn 1-1 with CA San Miguel at home, prior to a 4-0 loss away to Colon. Sciacqua's men have only scored five goals in 11 away matches and they need Julian Lopez, their top scorer on two goals from 13 appearances, to get on the scoreboard at some stage if they are to take advantage of the counterattack.
Backing the home team looks the way to go
Godoy Cruz's recent form is not great but they won their last home game 1-0 and bounced back from a 3-1 away loss to Ciudad de Bolivar in good style.
- They are favourites here at 1.72, with Central Norte available at 5.2 and the draw at 3.25, which suggests the bookies think there is value on the home side, but not much.
- Under 2.5 goals at 1.47 looks a better price than Over 2.5 at 2.5 and BTTS-No at 1.53 is more likely than BTTS-Yes in what should be a close game.
- The likeliest outcome is for Godoy Cruz to edge out the win, but the recent head-to-head and Central Norte's compact nature suggests there may not be many clear chances.
- Martín Pino's movement and finish will be key to Godoy Cruz being able to unlock the visitors' block, but we believe the hosts can do it and claim a narrow victory.
