Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 40/85
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Two sides separated by only one point in the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifiers will meet on Tuesday, as Colombia aim to steady their campaign when they welcome Paraguay to Estadio Metropolitano.
A last-minute goal conceded on Thursday saw Colombia fall to a 2-1 defeat against Brazil, slipping down to sixth place in the standings, just behind La Albirroja, who secured a 1-0 victory over Chile.
Colombia
Colombia’s qualifying campaign, which started on a strong note, has faltered in recent months as they aim for their first World Cup finals appearance since 2018.
Nestor Lorenzo’s side have now suffered three consecutive qualifying defeats after going unbeaten in their first eight matches of this cycle.
Currently, they occupy the last automatic qualification spot in CONMEBOL, sitting six points clear of Bolivia with five matches left to play.
Los Cafeteros have let five points slip after scoring first in this campaign but have also managed to recover four points after conceding the opening goal.
Of their 19 points so far, 13 have been earned at home, including their most recent haul at Estadio Metropolitano with a 4-0 win over Chile on matchday 10.
The 2024 Copa America runners-up are unbeaten in their last six encounters with Paraguay in all competitions, most recently defeating La Sele 2-1 in the group stage of that tournament.
Team News
Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera remains unavailable for Colombia due to a torn ACL, with Juan Cabal also sidelined for the same injury.
Marino Hinestroza and Johan Carbonero were unused substitutes in the match against Brazil and are both hoping to make their senior national team debuts.
Luis Diaz scored Colombia’s lone goal on Thursday, marking his 17th international strike. That goal moved the Liverpool forward past Carlos Bacca into sixth place on Colombia’s all-time scoring list, leaving him just one goal behind the late Freddy Rincon in fifth.
Paraguay
Colombia’s campaign may have lost momentum, but Paraguay’s has gained traction, with the team currently unbeaten in seven consecutive qualifiers.
A coaching change after their group-stage exit from last year’s Copa America appears to have sparked a turnaround, as new manager Gustavo Alfaro remains undefeated in charge.
Their recent form has reignited hopes of reaching the World Cup finals for the first time since 2010, with Paraguay now holding a seven-point cushion over Bolivia for an automatic qualification spot in next year’s tournament in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Paraguay’s success has been built on a strong defensive foundation, having conceded the second-fewest goals in CONMEBOL qualifying so far.
However, they have struggled in attack, scoring just nine goals — the joint second-lowest total in South America.
La Albirroja are unbeaten in their last two World Cup qualifying visits to Colombia, securing a 0-0 draw in 2021 and a 2-1 victory in October 2017.
Team News
Captain Gustavo Gomez will miss this match due to injury, while Hugo Cuenca is sidelined with a muscle problem and has been replaced by Ruben Lezcano.
Four players — Rodney Redes, Lezcano, Ronaldo de Jesus, and Orlando Gill — are all in search of their first international appearances.
Getafe defender Omar Alderete scored the decisive goal against Chile, while goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez made three saves to preserve a clean sheet.
Conclusion
Despite what recent form of these teams might be saying, Colombia will likely prove much more difficult for Paraguay to face than the likes of Bolivia or Chile.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 40/85
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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