Bolivia have always been difficult to beat in La Paz, but their World Cup qualifying record away from home is less than stellar. Colombia, who have been in excellent form lately, will be heavy favorites to come away from Friday's first CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying match as winners. Three points would move them into second place in qualifying, ahead of Ecuador, who are idle.
Colombia vs. Bolivia, 2014 World Cup qualifying: Preview and TV schedule
Expect Los Cafeteros to score early and take three points against Bolivia.
Stanley Chou
Colombia aren't missing any of their star players, meaning Jose Peckerman has plenty of options when selecting his lineup. His biggest dilemma is likely the partner for Falcao up top, given the number of excellent strikers at his disposal. Both Jackson Martinez and Teofilo Gutierrez have had excellent games in qualifying, while Carlos Bacca, Luis Muriel and Darwin Quintero are all worthy of playing as well.
If Colombia are going to be upset, it’ll be because their older central defenders get caught out. They’ve been reliant on older players at the back, and Bolivia’s best asset is the fitness of their strikers and how quickly they counter. Colombia can nullify Bolivia’s best means to win matches -- defending deep and countering quickly -- if they score early in the match.
Match date/time: Friday, 4 p.m. ET
Venue: Roberto Melendez stadium, Barranquilla, Colombia
TV: beIN Sport en Español (U.S)
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