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Winless Peru welcome suspension-hit Uruguay as the first round of October fixtures in CONMEBOL qualifying concludes in Lima.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 12th October, 2024: UK – 2:30am / US ET – 9:30pm (Friday) / US PT – 6:30pm (Friday)
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Fanatiz
PERU PREVIEW: BOTTOM OF THE PILE
Peru are rock-bottom of the CONMEBOL qualifying section with no wins to speak of from their eight games to date. It has been a significant drop-off after finishing fifth in the two previous World Cup qualifying campaigns, during which they even made it to the 2018 finals in Russia.
The hosts, who also reached the Copa America final in 2019, have scored a paltry two goals so far, although they do at least perform better on home turf; they are unbeaten in their last five home games across all competitions (including friendlies), four of those coming since Jorge Fossati took charge last December.
URUGUAY PREVIEW: ONE DEFEAT IN THE LAST 11
In contrast, Uruguay are looking like strong contenders to qualify for their fifth World Cup in succession, which will be the first time they have managed that feat. Marcelo Bielsa’s men have beaten both Brazil and Argentina during their current campaign, losing just once. No side has scored more than their 13 goals to date.
They were, however, held to two goalless draws in last month’s double header, as they had to settle for a point against both Paraguay and Venezuela.
PERU TEAM NEWS: CALCATERRA RECALLED
Injury has prevented the likes of Miguel Trauco and Anderson Santamaria from making the squad, while all-time leading appearance maker Yoshimar Yotun is also not ready to return to action just yet.
35-year-old Horacio Calcaterra has been recalled, with the 35-year-old having last been selected for the national team in June 2022.
PREDICTED XI (5-3-2): Gallesse; Polo, Araujo, Zambrano, Corzo, Sonne; Cartagena, Pena, Lopez; Valera, Flores
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
URUGUAY TEAM NEWS: FOUR STILL SUSPENDED BUT NUNEZ AVAILABLE
Ronaldo Araujo, Rodrigo Bentancur, Matias Olivera and Jose Maria Gimenez are all suspended due to their part in the disorder that took place against Colombia in this summer’s Copa America.
Darwin Nunez, however, is temporarily available. The Liverpool striker was initially handed a five-game ban but that has been overturned while the Court of Arbitration for Sport looks at his case.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Rochet; Nandez, Varela, Bueno, Saracchi; Valverde, Ugarte, De Arrascaeta; Pellistri, Nunez, M. Araujo
UNAVAILABLE: Bentancur (Suspended), Olivera (Suspended), Gimenez (Suspended), R. Araujo (Suspended)
QUESTIONABLE:
PERU VS URUGUAY PREDICTION
Peru have looked well off the pace in his qualifying campaign and are still searching for their first win, but they do at least face a weakened Uruguay side here. The visitors, missing some key men through suspension at the moment, struggled to find any attacking cohesion in their double-header last month, with both Paraguay and Venezuela containing them.
Given that Peru are generally more solid at home and will set up in a defensive manner, plus the fact that the last five meetings between the two nations have each featured two goals or fewer, we’re expecting a low-scoring affair in this one
PERU VS URUGUAY TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS