Written by Commodore Vegas for @Hollywoodbets.
Colombia vs Peru | Sunday 21 June | Estadio Municipal Bicentenario Germán Becker, Temuco | 21:00
Colombia find themselves at the foot of Group C despite their 1-0 victory over Brazil. Only a victory against Peru, 2011’s surprise package, will see them through to the next round. The Peruvians pushed Brazil all the way before overcoming Venezuela, leaving them on the verge of the knockouts.
To Win (90mins)
Colombia 5/10
Draw 29/10
Peru 11/2
Colombia
Colombia came into the tournament with high expectations given their exploits in Brazil last year. Their run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup came on the back of free-flowing, attacking football, while in James Rodriguez they possessed one of the breakout stars of world football. The summer of 2015 hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. They may have earned revenge against Brazil for the quarter-final exit last summer, but defeat to Venezuela has left them with the very real possibility of missing out on the knockouts. One goal in two matches is hardly the sort of return expected of a side featuring attacking talent like Radamel Falcao, Juan Cuadrado and the aforementioned Rodriguez. While there were signs of life from Cuadrado and Rodriguez in the victory over Brazil, Falcao continues to look a shadow of the player that became one of the best marksman in Europe. He will once again lead the line, with Sevilla’s Carlos Bacca missing the match through suspension. Colombia will need him to rediscover his golden touch or they could well fall to an ignominious exit.
Peru
The Copa America is a very different beast to the European Championship. With only twelve sides competing and eight guaranteed a spot in the knockouts, the lesser-fancied sides have every chance of success. Peru were the surprise packages of 2011, earning a third-place finish in Argentina. Many of the players that featured during that run remain in the mix. A second-half goal from 36-year-old Claudio Pizarro was enough for them to see off ten-man Venezuela in their second match. That result leaves all four teams in Group C on three points, with Peru leading the way courtesy of goals scored. A draw will be enough to take them through and you can expect them to play as such. They’re another side that does their best work on the counter-attack and, with Colombia needing a victory, chances will come their way. Goals have been hard to come by in this group, so if they can grab just one, they should do enough to squeeze out of the group.
VERDICT: Draw 29/10
Peru showed against Brazil they have it in them to get the result they need here. I haven’t seen enough from the Colombian forwards to suggest they’re going to get the goals required to progress. Reputation has no place at the Copa America. You have to earn your place in the knockouts through the sheer weight of your performances and, unfortunately for Colombia, they haven’t seemed up for the fight.
