Argentina vs Colombia
Argentina are on course for a repeat here in the Copa America, but there’s one team left that’s standing in their way, as they will take on Colombia in the final on Sunday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Lionel Scaloni’s men are back in the final after beating a spirited Canada side 2-0 in the semi-finals on Tuesday, while Los Cafeteros are still undefeated under head coach Nestor Lorenzo following their 1-0 victory over Uruguay last night.
The pre-game SBOTOP betting odds are in favour of Argentina because they are the defending champions, but they cannot afford to underestimate Colombia and their red-hot form.
Will Argentina successfully complete their back-to-back bid? Or will Colombia shock the world in South Beach? Check out our match preview by continuing to read below.
Talking Points
Argentina will stick to what works
Lionel Scaloni doesn’t have to make wholesale changes in his starting XI against Colombia, except in the right-back position.
Gonzalo Montiel will probably be dropped back to the bench in favor of Nahuel Molina, who was benched against Canada in the semi-finals.
Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, and Julian Alvarez should also continue to start for Argentina in favour of Exequiel Palacios, Leandro Paredes, and Lautaro Martinez, and they all have big roles to play against Colombia.
De Paul and Fernandez will have to work hand-in-hand to try and slow down Colombia’s midfielders, while Alexis Mac Allister plays as the No. 10 behind the strikers. Julian Alvarez, meanwhile, will link up with Lionel Messi anew as the second striker up front.
Lautaro Martinez will be the first man off the bench for La Albiceleste, in case they need more attacking firepower since he is the frontrunner for the Golden Boot race with four goals.
Argentina will also need another big night from Emi Martinez, as he will face his toughest test against Colombia’s attack. The Aston Villa goalie has only conceded one goal in the entire tournament so far, and he’s looking to keep it that way this weekend.
Colombia’s attack is dangerous
Colombia have been one of the best stories in the 2024 Copa America, as they’ve been on fire under head coach Nestor Lorenzo. With 12 goals and counting, Los Cafeteros are the most prolific side in the continental tournament.
James Rodriguez has been a revelation for Colombia, as he has been their talisman. The Sao Paulo attacking midfielder just notched his sixth assist against Uruguay last time out, surpassing Lionel Messi’s previous record of five assists in a single Copa America run.
Rodriguez has been getting dimes left and right because he has a great supporting cast around him, such as Jhon Cordoba, Luis Diaz, Jefferson Lerma, and Daniel Munoz, who all have two goals apiece.
Like Argentina, Nestor Lorenzo will stick to what works. He should maintain the same starting XI against Argentina, except at the right-back position, where Santiago Arias will likely take over for the suspended Daniel Munoz.
History
Argentina will fancy their chances against Colombia on Sunday, as they’ve been undefeated in their three previous meetings in all competitions (W2, D1).
The last time these two teams met was in a World Cup qualifier match in February 2022, where La Albiceleste won 1-0 over Los Cafeteros, courtesy of Lautaro Martinez’s 29th-minute goal.
Colombia’s last win over Argentina was a 2-0 result in the opening group stage match of the 2019 Copa America, as Roger Martinez and Duvan Zapata scored two late goals.
Argentina are the joint-winningest team alongside Uruguay in Copa America history, with 15 trophies, whereas Colombia still has a long way to go since they only won once in 2001.
Betting Tip
As mentioned, the Copa America 2024 odds are in favour of Argentina, but their margin of error against Colombia is not that big. La Albiceleste are priced at 2.23, while Los Cafeteros are at 3.31 and a draw is at 2.84 in the 1X2 market.
While it’s easy to root for Argentina because of their collective star power, Colombia have convinced us that they’re a team to be reckoned with in this tournament, so counting them out early may not be a great idea.
Instead of choosing the outright winner, we’re going for Over 2.00 at 2.08 as our recommended bet, with Total Goal 2-3 at 1.95 and Over 2.25 at 2.38 listed as viable alternatives.
Either way, the football fans are the biggest winners this weekend, as they will get to see more Copa America 2024 highlights in the finale, and may the best team win.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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