Copa America: Could One of this Duo be a Surprise Package?

Peru vs Venezuela

The 2019 Copa America is here.

A total of 26 matches building up to the July 7 final at the famed Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Twelve teams, 10 from South American and two invitees in Japan and Qatar – guest teams are not unusual in this competition – will fight to be named kings of South America and that means Copa America highlights galore.

The 49^th edition of the tournament between South America’s finest should have plenty to enthral SBOBET fans over the next month and, while this clash in the Arena do Gremio may not immediately jump out, spectators may get a pleasant surprise.

It is certainly of importance for both these nations.

Talking Points

While Venezuela are not expected to progress out of a group which also comprises hosts Brazil and Bolivia, a win in their opening match would throw open the whole stage.

Peru are not here to make up the numbers either, however.

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Last year’s World Cup was a special tournament as the country ended a more-than-three-decade drought to return to the biggest stage.

They may not have reached the knockout stages in Russia last summer but they hardly disgraced themselves.

Those increased expectations may help or hinder them but if they start off with victory it will put them in good stead, although there is a suggestion they rely too much on two players at the tail end of their careers: 35-year-old Paolo Guerrero and 34-year-old Jefferson Farfan.

Certainly it seems as if the country is trying to squeeze one last drop of energy from their potent predator whose career has been well documented.

Peru are no strangers to pulling off surprises at the Copa either. Just take the Copa America Centenario for instance, as they defeated Brazil in the final group game to top their group — and knock the Brazilians out of the tournament.

Peru didn’t quite make it to the semi-finals in 2016 as they lost on penalties to Colombia in the last eight. If they had gone through, it would have been the third Copa in a row where they had reached the final four.

Perhaps the greatest human story of the tournament though would be progression for Venezuela as they play against the backdrop of ongoing political turmoil back home.

Their pedigree at the Copa may not be great. Indeed, from 1975-2004, they didn’t even so much as pick up a single win in the competition.

Finally, though, things began to pick up when they hosted the competition in 2007 and went on to reach the quarter-finals. They did one better by reaching the semis in the next Copa in 2011 and again made the quarters of the Copa America Centenario.

Beware the underdogs certainly seems to be the message and Venezuela, just like Peru, have a talented forward line.

Veteran striker Salomon Rondon is coming off a fairly successful season with Newcastle United in the Premier League, where he scored 11 goals. He is now the highest scorer in Venezuelan history after he shocked the United States with two early goals on Sunday to take his tally to 24 goals in 73 matches.

Venezuela and Peru look quite evenly matched in Copa America tie — Peru’s striker Paolo Guerrero kicks the ball during a team’s training session in Porto Alegre

He overtakes former Venezuela legend Juan Arango, who scored 23 in 129 games before retiring in 2015; striker Giancarlo Maldonado completes the podium with 22 goals, scored between 1996 and 2007.

Meanwhile, striker partner Josef Martinez — who had 35 goals in 2018 with Atlanta United in MLS — remains in fine form.

Rondon and Martinez were both on target in Venezuela’s recent 3-1 friendly win over Argentina, which spoiled Lionel Messi’s return to international football after his hiatus.

Goalless this game shouldn’t be.

History

Peru have an overwhelming success rate in this one.

They have emerged victorious in 20 of their meetings with a further six draws and eight defeats.

Their most recent meetings both ended 2-2 in qualifiers for last year’s World Cup, while Peru were 1-0 winners – Claudio Pizarro the scorer – when they met in the group stage of the Copa in 2015.

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.