Uruguay and Colombia meet in Montevideo on Friday in World Cup qualifying in what will be a repeat of the ill-tempered semi-final from the Copa America over the summer.
The aftermath from Colombia’s 1-0 win saw brawls between players and fans, with many Uruguay players handed lengthy suspensions.
© Imago
Since that fateful day at the Copa, Uruguay have not been the same team that looked so impressive in the first six rounds of qualifying.
The four matches since their elimination against Colombia have seen Marcelo Bielsa‘s men win none and score none, slipping away from leaders Argentina, and ominously closer to dropping out of the top six.
Three of those four games did end in 0-0 draws, so La Celeste have continued to add points to the board, but a 1-0 defeat in Peru last month was hugely disappointing.
Dropping nine points in those games – against four opponents all outside the top four at present – could be costly though, as Uruguay are now only four points clear of the chasing pack outside of the automatic qualifying places.
Bielsa admitted after the loss in Peru that comments made by Luis Suarez shortly after his retirement from international football had “affected his authority”.
Suarez blasted Bielsa publicly for being a divisive figure and splitting the changing room due to his methods of management.
The mass suspensions Uruguay received in the aftermath of the Copa semi-final loss has not helped either, but they have all been served so there can be no excuses from this point onward, as the hosts seek to seal their place at a fifth-straight World Cup.
Colombia had a peculiar week in October’s internationals, as manager Nestor Lorenzo finally suffered a first defeat inside 90 minutes as the national team coach, away to Bolivia, ending their 31-game run without one.
© Imago
What was staggering was the manner of the defeat, because Colombia played against 10 men for 70 minutes, but still succumbed to a 1-0 defeat, struggling greatly to come to terms with the altitude at La Verde’s new home venue at El Alto, with some players requiring oxygen during the game.
Los Cafeteros did recover a few days later, and they did so in style, thrashing a hapless Chile 4-0 in Barranquilla, with Luis Diaz, Jhon Duran and James Rodriguez all on form.
That win ensured they remain second and just three points behind Argentina at the summit, and seven ahead of Bolivia in the playoff spot, so Colombia now look on course to return to the World Cup finals after missing the 2022 edition.
This will be a tricky away test for Lorenzo’s men again though, considering Colombia’s only win in Uruguay came all the way back in 1973, but it is the perfect time to play La Celeste, given the off-field drama and on-field struggles they are currently going through.
© Imago
Darwin Nunez‘s ban for his role in the chaos that ensued in Uruguay’s loss to Colombia has been lifted by CAS, so he will be available again, after also featuring last month while the case was under review.
However, Nunez is one of seven players who will receive a suspension if he is booked here, a list that also includes Manuel Ugarte, Santiago Bueno, Nahitan Nandez and Jose Maria Gimenez.
Gimenez is one of the players, along with Rodrigo Bentancur and Matias Olivera, who are back after being handed heavy suspensions in the summer, and that will benefit the hosts in defence, as Bielsa only named one recognised central defender in the defeat to Peru.
Colombia have lost Luis Sinisterra to a late injury withdrawal, and that will be a blow considering the impact he made off the bench against Chile, scoring and assisting to put the game beyond doubt.
Juventus full-back Juan Cabal tore his ACL shortly after joining up with the squad and had to withdraw, while Jefferson Lerma and Yaser Asprilla are also currently sidelined in midfield.
Aston Villa striker Duran is now certainly above Jhon Cordoba in the pecking order, and fellow Premier League attacker Diaz is the most in-form player in the squad, with 11 goal involvements so far this season.
Uruguay possible starting lineup:
Rochet; Varela, S Bueno, Gimenez, Olivera; Valverde, Ugarte, Bentancur; Pellistri, Nunez, M Araujo
Colombia possible starting lineup:
Vargas; Munoz, Sanchez, Lucumi, Mojica; Rios, Uribe; Diaz, James, J Arias; Duran
Uruguay’s only two wins in their last seven games both came on penalties at the Copa America, including in the third-place playoff, and ending a four-game scoreless run will be pivotal to getting back on track here.
Colombia are a very threatening side under Lorenzo though, and ignoring their blip in the altitude of Bolivia, they have been very consistent in this qualifying campaign, and will be confident of a result.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Subscribe to our newsletter
