After hopes of a spot in the concluding Copa America finals, Peru and Colombia will settle for a third spot this weekend in Brasilia. The match schedules for Saturday at the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha, with kickoff at 3 am.
Peru missed out on the finals after a 1-0 defeat to Brazil to prevent them from the second consecutive final appearance. On the other hand, it took a penalty shootout to prevent Colombia from defeating Argentina.
The group stages was a difficult moment for Peru, especially after a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Brazil. However, it followed with impressive displays to the semi-finals. The side recorded a 2-1 win over Colombia after a Sergio Pena finish followed by a Yerry Mina own goal.
Furthermore, it followed a 2-2 draw against Ecuador and a 1-0 victory against Venezuela, with Andre Carrillo continuing his impressive form.
The impressive run saw Ricardo Gareca’s men finishing off on the second spot in Group B while picking seven points along the way. A lot is riding with a third spot finish, a positive sign for Gareca.
On the other hand, Colombia missed a spot in the finals after Emiliano Martinez saved two penalties from Sanchez and Yerry Mina. Having missed what could have been their second Copa America title, a third spot finish would be consolable.
Peru vs Colombia Head to Head
Both sides have 18 games against each other, with Peru taking two wins while Colombia with nine wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Brazil 1-0 Peru
- Peru 3-3 Paraguay
- Venezuela 0-1 Peru
- Ecuador 2-2 Peru
- Colombia 1-2 Peru
Away
- Argentina 1-1 Colombia
- Uruguay 0-0 Colombia
- Brazil 2-1 Colombia
- Colombia 1-2 Brazil
- Colombia 0-0 Venezuela
Peru Team News
The return of winger Andre Carillo is a major boost for the side, given his recent exploits away from the camp. Gareca is more likely to return to a back four system to allow Carillo to operate on the flanks. Other attacking options available to choose from include Sergio Pena and Christian Cueva.
Colombia Team News
A major missing figure in the engine room is midfielder Mateus Uribe who picked up a muscular injury. Thus, we expect a midfield pairing of Gustavo Cuellar and Wilmar Barrios.
Prediction and Odds
The plenty of quality for Colombia will make it difficult for Peru to salvage their impressive display so far.
- Colombia Win
- Double Chance
- Both Teams to Score
