Venezuela 0-0 Peru
Day two and game two of the Copa America.
Porto Alegre welcomed both nations and, as I told SBOBET readers beforehand, there was arguably a surprise package on show in this one.
The Copa America 2019 betting odds predicted a close encounter in the Arena do Gremio and that was what unfolded.
Whether there was enough quality for either of these sides to progress to the knockout stages, however, remains questionable.
Highlights of the game
Much on the Copa America 2019 news focused on the possible shoot-out between two sharpshooters.
Veteran striker Salomon Rondon — coming off a fairly successful season with Newcastle United in the Premier League, where he scored 11 goals — became the highest scorer in Venezuelan history after he shocked the United States with two goals last weekend to take his tally to 24 goals in 73 matches.
And for Peru, 35-year-old Paolo Guerrero — who’s at the tail-end of his career — is a potent predator from whom his country is trying to squeeze one last strong tournament.
In the end, despite much huffing and puffing, neither could break the deadlock as we saw the competition’s first stalemate.
We also the first sending-off of the tournament as Luis Del Pino Mago was dismissed quarter of an hour from time for a second booking.
Despite no goals, there was certainly not a lack of drama.
The stop-start match was marked by two Peruvian goals chalked off after consultation with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Christofer Gonzales’s 11th-minute goal was disallowed for offside earlier in the move. Jefferson Farfan then suffered the same fate 19 minutes into the second half after his header hit the back of the net.
When midfielder Gonzales buried a loose ball, VAR showed Renato Tapia had been in an offside position as he challenged the busy Venezuela goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez.
Christian Cueva and Rondon failed to take good chances either side of the 20-minute mark, while a poor Farinez punch forced Tomas Rincon to make a crucial block towards the end of a first half blighted by stoppages.
More fluent passages of play after the interval brought only wayward finishing until Farfan nodded in Edison Flores’ left-sided cross, but was again denied by an offside flag.
A flurry of saves from Farinez late on kept out Peru in a high-tempo second half but one which was still largely lacklustre overall.
A dogged goalless draw and a point apiece.
Key statistics
Five of the last six red cards shown to Venezuelan players in the competition have been against Peru.
Venezuela have won two Copa America games under Rafael Dudamel (both in 2016); no Venezuela coach has managed to win three games in the competition.
Peru have an overwhelming success rate in meetings between these nations. They have emerged victorious in 20 of their meetings with a further seven draws and eight defeats.
Peru also won 4-1 when they met in the 2011 tournament, a third/fourth place play-off in which Guerrero netted a hat-trick.
Of the players competing in the tournament this summer, Guerrero is the leading scorers with 11 goals in 19 games in Copa America history.
What’s next?
Peru meet Bolivia in Rio Di Janeiro on Tuesday (June 18). The Bolivians will be looking to bounce back from an opening game defeat against hosts Brazil.
For Venezuela, they’ll face the hosts themselves in the Fonte Nova Arena in Bahia.
Few Copa hosts have been under as much pressure to win as Brazil are in 2019 – the centenary of their first triumph in the competition.
&nbs
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
