5 Tips for Sunday’s Internationals & MLS Action - 10/10/21

Bolivia host Peru on Sunday in a South American World Cup qualifier which is a battle of ninth versus seventh.

The home side played out three World Cup qualifying matches in September, winning none of them, having drawn 1-1 with Colombia thanks to an 83rd-minute equaliser from Fernando Saucedo, as well as being defeated 4-2 by Uruguay despite Marcelo Moreno’s brace and being thumped 4-0 by Argentina in their last outing. Despite scoring 12 goals in nine outings, Bolivia have the worst defensive record in the qualifiers, having leaked 22.

Meanwhile, Peru who were actually semi-finalists in the Copa America drew 1-1 with Uruguay in September, before defeating Venezuela 1-0 thanks to a Carlos Cueva strike and lost 2-0 to Brazil last time out. In Peru’s last four meetings with Bolivia, they have won all four games with both teams scoring in three of them, with their last meeting being in the 2019 Copa America Group Stages, where Martins scored a first-half penalty, before goals from Paolo Guerrero, Jefferson Farfan and Edson Flores sealed a comeback win.

Bottom of the group Venezuela go head-to-head with Ecuador, with the away side firmly in contention to qualify for Qatar 2022 as they are fourth in the standings.

Venezuela lost all of their World Cup qualifiers last time out, falling to 3-1, 1-0 and 2-1 defeats to Argentina, Peru and Paraguay which typifies their qualifying campaign so far, as they have managed just five goals and shipped 15 in nine matches.

Ecuador managed a 2-0 win over Paraguay last international break thanks to goals from Felix Torres and Michael Estrada, showing that they have the capability to beat the likes of Venezuela by a two-goal margin, as well as drawing 0-0 with Chile and suffering a narrow 1-0 loss to Uruguay.

On Sunday group leaders Brazil take on Colombia, with Tite’s side looking to maintain their perfect record in qualifying having won eight from eight, scoring 19 and conceding just twice.

In the last international break, Brazil played just two matches, as they defeated Chile 1-0 away from home thanks to a second-half striker from Everton Ribeiro, before beating Peru 2-0 at home where Everton scored once again, whilst Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar also got on the scoresheet.

Colombia are fifth in the standings on 13 points from nine games and managed five points from three matches in September, drawing 1-1 with both Paraguay and Bolivia, before defeating Chile 3-1 via a brace from Miguel Borja, as well as a goal from FC Porto’s Luis Diaz.

In the North American qualifiers, bottom of the group Jamaica face second-place Canada in a must-win match for the hosts.

Despite having the likes of Michail Antonio, Ravel Morrison, Ethan Pinnock, Liam Moore, Daniel Johnson and more in their starting 11, Jamaica were soundly beaten 3-0 at home to Panama in the last set of qualifying matches, before a much weakened looking Jamaica side on paper drew 1-1 away at Costa Rica thanks to a goal from Charleroi forward Shamar Nicholson.

On the other hand, Canada drew 1-1 away at the U.S in their opening match of the final round of qualifiers, thanks to a goal from Besiktas forward Cyle Larin, which then inspired John Herdman’s side to thump El Salvador 3-0 at home, as Atiba Hutchinson, Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan all got on the scoreboard.

The final game on this list of tips comes from the MLS where third in the Western Conference Colorado Rapids, travel to seventh in the table Minnesota United.

Minnesota come into this game having lost 4-0 away at Sporting Kansas City, as well as 3-1 versus DC United and beat the likes of LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo 3-0 and 2-0 in late September before drawing 0-0 against FC Dallas despite registering 17 shots with six on target in the latter mentioned match.

Colorado are 10 points ahead of their opponents in the standings with 48 from 27 matches, but are in mixed form at present, having drawn 2-2, 1-1 and 0-0 with Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto, before thumping Austin FC 3-0 on 30th September thanks to goals by Jonathan Lewis, Nicols Mezquida and Auston Trusty, with their last match resulting in a 3-0 loss away at Seattle Sounders.

In 27 matches in the MLS this season, Minnesota have discord 30 and conceded 32, whilst Colorado have hit the back of the net 38 times and let in 27.