After a booming victory over the US in their tournament-opening match, Colombia will look to have a tighter grip of the no. 1 spot in Group A. Standing in their way is Paraguay, who are in desperate need of a win to stay alive in the tournament. Read on for more about this match. You can also see our breakdown of Panama vs. Bolivia.
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It’s now or never for Paraguay. The squad is coming off a goalless draw against Costa Rica and Los Albirroja will have to find a way to earn three points this Tuesday against Colombia or else, they’ll be virtually out of contention in the competition.
It’s been a while since Los Albirroja last won a match. That was in November of last year, when Paraguay defeated Ecuador 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup South American Qualifying Tournament. What followed since for Paraguay was a trio of draws and a loss. But if you’re doubting Paraguay’s ability to rise from the dead and wreak some sort of havoc against a favored, just remember that this team was the one that eliminated super power Brazil in the quarterfinals of last summer’s edition of Copa America. In addition, Paraguay also drew with Argentina 2-2 last year—that’s an Argentinian side, which featured the pair of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.
A lot will be riding on the shoulders of forward Nelson Valdez, who is arguably the best striker on the team. Valdez is a seasoned veteran in the international stage having represented Paraguay in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and three Copa America competitions.
Group A leader Colombia will be out on the field minus its best player. Rodriguez was ruled out of the Paraguay contest, as the Real Madrid striker with a shoulder injury he suffered during the team’s 2-0 victory over the US on Saturday.
The absence of Rodriguez is definitely a big blow for Colombia but that should be mitigated by the fact that Los Cafeteros will be facing a struggling Paraguayan side. Colombia’s offense has just been dominant over their current four-game win streak in which they outscored their opponents, 11-4.
It was also nice for Colombia to see their defense played out against the US, as it was the first time in seven matches that they held an opponent scoreless.
In lieu of Rodriguez, Colombia will utilize Edwin Cardona, who played well against the US. Also, Los Cafeteros still have Carlos Bacca, who is among the best strikers in the tournament to run the show. Bacca announced his presence in Copa America with a goal against the US in Santa Clara.
Colombia is 4-1 in their last five matches against Paraguay.
