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Copa America | Group Stage
Jun 21, 2015 at 8pm UK
 
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Preview: Colombia vs. Peru

:Headline: Preview: Colombia vs. Peru: ID:229113: from db_amp
Sports Mole previews Sunday's Copa America encounter between Colombia and Peru in the all-to-play-for Group C.

Group C at the Copa America is finely poised with all four teams on three points ahead of Sunday's final round of group games in Chile.

Colombia and Peru are first to play in Temuco before Brazil and Venezuela do battle in Santiago two-and-a-half hours later.


Colombia

Jose Pekerman's side entered the tournament ranked fourth in the world and one of the favourites, but they go into this match bottom of the all-to-play-for group and will be staring down the barrel of elimination if they are beaten.

All four teams have three points and a goal difference of zero, but Colombia have only scored and conceded one like Venezuela, who they were beaten by in Rancagua on Sunday.

Colombia can still advance with a defeat, but they need to lose by a slim margin and have the other match between Brazil and Venezuela be a larger win for either so that they have the better goal difference.

Even then, they need to have one of the two best third-place records as only two of the three third-placed teams advances to the quarter-finals.

Los Cafeteros have won the Copa once before at home in 2001, not managing better than fourth place since then.

Recent form: WWWWLW


Peru

Ranked 61st in the world, Peru have competed well so far in Chile and start the final round of fixtures in second place knowing that a win will put them through to the knockout stages.

They were only beaten by Brazil in injury time and then blew the group wide open with a 1-0 win over Venezuela in Vaparaiso last night.

Like Colombia, Ricardo Gareca's men can still advance to the knockouts with any outcome, but a win or a draw will assure them of a top-three spot and likely passage to the last eight.

La Blanquirroja might not be as glamorous as many of the other countries on show at the Copa, but they have consistently performed well in recent years, reaching the quarter-finals or better in the last six tournaments.

They have won the competition twice, at home in 1927 and then at the tournament which had no fixed venue and was played all over the continent in 1975.

Recent form: LWLDLW


Team News

Los Cafeteros will be without Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca after he was sent off in the closing stages of the win over Brazil for aggressively shoving Neymar to the ground.

The forward was a substitute against the Brazilians, though, so Pekerman might not alter his starting lineup.

There are questions over whether Radamel Falcao should start after misfiring in the first two games and both Victor Ibarbo and Jackson Martinez are waiting for their chance.

Gareca has no suspension or injury concerns and is likely to go with the same Peru lineup after their first win of the tournament against Venezuela last time out.

Colombia possible starting lineup:
Ospina, Zapata, Armero, Murillo, Zuniga, Sanchez, Valencia, Cuadrado, Rodriguez, Gutierrez, Falcao

Peru possible starting lineup:
Gallese, Zambrano, Advincula, Ballon, Labaton, Cueva, Vargas, Sanchez, Ascues, Guerrero, Pizarro


Head To Head

Colombia won both of the last two meetings in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup without conceding a goal (2-0 and 0-1).

The two sides also did battle at the quarter-final stage of the last Copa in 2011, with Peru coming out on top 2-0 in extra time after a goalless 90 minutes.


We say: Colombia 2-0 Peru

La Blanquirroja certainly won't make it easy for the Colombians, but the latter are stronger on paper and will start the match as favourites. Any result is possible, but with Colombia more in need of the win, they should go for it and come out on top.



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