The preliminary round of the current Copa America is played almost exclusively to get into the right shape for the upcoming final phase. In addition, the pairings for the quarter-finals are being determined. But in each of the two groups of five, only one team is eliminated. Therefore, the sporting excitement in the group phase is still manageable. On Thursday, however, there could be a first match with knockout character.
At the moment, it looks as if either Uruguay or Bolivia will have to go home after the preliminary round in the southern group. In this group, these are the two teams that have yet to win a game. Bolivia are at the bottom of the standings after two defeats. They are on the brink of elimination, but Uruguay have only picked up one point and also have a duty – at least not to lose.
If we only look at the form of the two teams, then there could well be two losers, because both teams seem to be in desperate need of a holiday. In recent weeks, both have been desperately searching for a sense of achievement. This makes the match between Bolivia and Uruguay extremely difficult to predict.
Prediction & Live Odds for Bolivia vs. Uruguay
It is difficult to say how this clash will end. At the betting sites checked, the roles are clearly distributed – Uruguay is treated as the clear favourite. However, it doesn’t seem to be that easy, as the Celeste have not won in five games and have not scored a goal of their own. So there seems to be potential for a surprise.
Bolivia has lost two Copa matches and won just one in their last ten, but La Verde has gone three games without defeat in World Cup qualifying in preparation for the Copa America. Therefore, we can imagine placing a bet on a point win for the Bolivians in the clash between Bolivia and Uruguay.
Given the Urus’ poor form, the odds on a Bolivian win are extremely high. Quotes of 15.00 inevitably include the value. So we decided to play the betting odds on the double chance 1X between Bolivia and Uruguay.
Bolivia – Statistics & current form
Bolivia is probably the team currently rated weakest in South America. However, their dream of returning to the World Cup after 1994 is still alive. The Bolivians are currently in eighth place in the South American group. They are three points off fifth place. In the well-known betting apps, however, the quotes indicate that La Verde should miss out on the World Cup again.
Success with Moreno?
Although Cesar Farias’ team is unbeaten in three World Cup qualifiers, they have only managed one win in their last ten international matches. It would therefore come as something of a surprise if the odds on a Bolivian victory in the clash between Bolivia and Uruguay were to lead to success.
At the Copa, the Greens first suffered a 3-1 defeat against Paraguay in their opening match. They fared only marginally better in their second match against Chile, where they lost 1-0. Now comes just the right time to turn things around. A win would put Cesar Farias’ team right back in the thick of the action.
There is reason for optimism, because three players who were in quarantine after an infection are allowed to play again on Thursday. Especially captain and record scorer Marcelo Moreno was sorely missed. Moreno may have to serve a suspension for critical remarks about the transfer of the Copa to Brazil. However, the last word has not yet been spoken.
Bolivia’s probable line-up:
Lampe – Fernandez, Jusino, Quinteros, Bejarano – Justiniano, Vaca, Saavedra, Arce – Alvarez, Moreno – Coach: Farias
Uruguay – Statistics & current form
With fourth place in World Cup qualifying, the Celeste are fully on course for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But that should not hide the fact that things are not going well for the Uruguayans at the moment. It is difficult to say what the reasons are, because Oscar Tabarez basically has all his stars together. In fact, nothing should stand in the way of a successful performance at the Copa.
Goal drought for the Celeste
However, the Uruguayans have not won for five matches now. In those five matches, they have failed to score a single goal of their own, despite an attacking force in Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. From there, that could be a clue to predicting less than 2.5 goals in the Bolivia-Uruguay encounter.
At the Copa in Brazil, the Urus started first with a 1-0 defeat to Argentina. Chile were their opponents in the second match. The Chileans took a 1-0 lead after just over half an hour. Uruguay equalised in the second period, but Chile had to help out with an own goal. So the Celeste’s goal drought continues.
Nevertheless, the Uruguayans still believe they have a chance to be very successful at the Copa America 2021. The first games of the tournament have shown that almost the entire field is very close in terms of performance.
Uruguay’s likely line-up:
Muslera – Vina, Gimenez, Godin, Gonzalez – Vecino, de la Cruz, Valverde, de Arrascaeta – Suarez, Cavani – Coach: Tabarez
