Peru Vs Colombia
Peru Vs Colombia Saturday 10 July, 2021 – 01:00
Copa America
Pick: Peru or Draw
Odds: 10/11
Bookmaker: PaddyPower
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 8 July 2021)
Preview: Three of the previous five Copa America third-place play-off victors comprised one of these teams, with Peru and Colombia keen once more to sign off on a positive note in what is a precursor for Sunday’s tantalising final between Brazil and Argentina.
Table of Contents
Positive Peru with one last high in them?
In a tournament which has struggled to capture the imagination outside of the nations actually competing in Brazil, the exuberance Peru have provided has been a breath of fresh air. La Blanquirroja have been the tournament’s great entertainers, averaging more goals scored than all bar the two finalists – Brazil and Argentina. All while only conceding fewer than a Bolivia side that finished pointless in Group A.
Peru plundered eight goals from their six matches. Twice that of third-place play-off opponents Colombia – a team they have already bested in this competition after a 2-1 victory in Goiania during the group stage. Meanwhile, only the favourites for Sunday’s final, Brazil, can claim to have beaten Ricardo Gareca’s enterprising side. Improving upon a 4-0 scoreline in the group by only going down 1-0 in the last eight.
It means that, for the fourth time in five editions, Peru have been among the four best teams at this tournament. They were runners-up last time around, once again losing out to Brazil. So it is a competition they evidently thrive in. However, their head-to-head with Colombia does make for an altogether less compelling case. That earlier win halting a ten game winless sequence (D3 L7) in this match-up.
Colombia desperate to bookend underwhelming tournament on a win?
After coming from behind to force a penalty shootout in their semi-final with Argentina, Colombia would have been feeling bullish about the prospect of a first Copa America final since 2001. Los Cafeteros had already eliminated Uruguay on penalties the round prior, after an underwhelming group campaign that included losing to Peru, and were looking to repeat the trick versus La Albiceleste.
Earlier in the semi-final, Luiz Diaz struck only the fourth Colombian goal in what was the sixth game at these finals. Restoring parity in a contest they were typically obdurate but largely second best in. Their luck, however, would run out imminently. Emiliano Martinez, the Argentine goalkeeper who wasn’t shy in offering up words of encouragement for the Colombian takers, saving three of their five efforts.
So, Colombia are left to lick their wounds at what might have been. It makes you wonder what a fully fit James Rodriguez might have brought to this side. They still have one last opportunity to end their tournament on a high, though. But with no win in five (D3 L2) since scraping a slender 1-0 victory against Ecuador on Matchday 1, their most realistic route to third place may once again rest with penalties.
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Colombia Vs Peru Betting Advice
Goals have tended to be in short supply whenever Colombia take to the field at this tournament. Four out of six games involving Los Cafeteros have resulted in Under 2.5 Goals. Furthermore, with two of the previous three Copa America third-place play-offs producing no more than two goals, another low-key affair could well be in the offing. However, Peru do bring some unpredictability to the table.
Peru vs Colombia – Key Facts:
- A 2-1 win against Colombia during the group stage marked the end of a ten-game sequence without a win (D3 L7) in this fixture for Peru.
- Colombia have beaten only one team (Ecuador, 1-0) at this year’s Copa America, drawing both knockout round games vs Uruguay (0-0) and Argentina (1-1).
- Peru‘s only losses at this tournament have both been to Brazil, the latter of those in the semi-final (1-0) after prevailing on penalties against Paraguay (3-3 at FT).
I’ve been wrong before, especially lately. However, the current match odds don’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Colombia have only beaten one team at these finals, which was a narrow 1-0 win over Ecuador way back in their opening fixture. Scoring a paltry four goals in six games. Compare and contrast this to Peru, losers of two of six match-ups thus far (both times against Brazil), all while scoring twice as many goals.
Best Betting Odds – Peru Vs Colombia
Peru – 7/2 (PaddyPower)
Draw – 10/3 (BetFred)
Colombia – 20/23 (Betfair)
