Uruguay and Colombia will face off in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday as they battle it out in the semi-finals of the 2024 Copa America.
Only one of these two South American nations in better form will have a chance to fight for the trophy in Sunday’s final.
Colombia are in the midst of an incredible 27-match unbeaten streak, the longest in the country’s history, stretching back to the start of 2022. After failing to qualify for the last World Cup in Qatar, Los Cafeteros have embarked on a remarkable turnaround, led by head coach Néstor Lorenzo, who is yet to lose while at the helm.
Uruguay, meanwhile, have reached this stage under Marcelo Bielsa thanks to a combination of brilliant football and physical tenacity. La Celeste thrashed Bolivia and Panama in the group stage with a fluid, free-flowing attack before using more brute force against the United States and Brazil.
Uruguay vs Colombia prediction, odds
- Tilt towards the money line: Colombia (+200)
- Score prediction: Colombia 2-1 Uruguay
These two teams play off each other very well in what should be an enthralling semi-final and, as the odds indicate, it is a very open game that is really up for grabs. The line movement has been slightly in Uruguay’s favour as kick-off approaches, with goals expected to occur as well, but the game remains extremely tight.
That said, Colombia are the more in-form team. After seeing Marcelo Bielsa disappointingly deploy an ugly, foul-filled tactic in their game against Brazil, it is hard to back that style of play going further in the competition. Uruguay possess an extremely talented squad, who could have taken the game to Brazil, but instead Bielsa revealed a negative approach more befitting of a sore underdog.
It worked in theory, as they are still alive in the semi-finals, but they should be no match for a Colombian side that is simply more cohesive and better equipped to handle any shenanigans from Bielsa’s squad. They also have the best player in the tournament so far, James Rodriguez, who will be looking to make his mark on the game.
