On Thursday night, Colombia host Ecuador in South American qualifying for World Cup 2022, with both teams looking to boost their chances of making it to Qatar 2022.
Colombia currently find themselves fifth-place in South American qualifying. As it stands the Tricolor occupy the World Cup play-off spot, but a win in this clash would see Reinaldo Rueda’s team move into the automatic qualification spots.
¡Las manos de todo un país!🧤 ¡Grande @D_Ospina1 !#VamosColombia 🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/xOXyphSKVD— Selección Colombia (@FCFSeleccionCol) October 11, 2021
¡Las manos de todo un país!🧤 ¡Grande @D_Ospina1 !#VamosColombia 🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/xOXyphSKVD
A victory would also see the home team leapfrog their third-place opponents in the standings, as the visitors are just a point ahead.
Colombia are unbeaten in their previous seven World Cup qualifiers. However, five of those games have finished in draws, which has hampered the home team’s chances of moving into the automatic qualification spots.
Last time out, the Tricolor drew 0-0 with Brazil. The game followed a familiar low-scoring trend of late for Colombia, as four of their previous five qualifiers have produced under 2.5 goals.
The home team have an inconsistent recent home record in qualifying, although a record of two wins from their last seven home qualifiers is not a great one.
Ecuador may be in the automatic qualification berths for next years World Cup, but their recent form in qualifying has been poor.
Gustavo Alfaro’s team head into this game on the back of just one win in their previous four qualifiers. A 2-1 defeat in Venezuela was a particularly disappointing result considering that their opponents are bottom of the standings.
The visitors have been woeful on their travels of late in World Cup qualifying, as they have won just one of their last nine away qualifiers, having lost the other eight games away from home.
Forebet predicts that Colombia will leapfrog Ecuador in the standings and boost their chances of making it to the World Cup in the process.