Colombia look to seal World Cup spot, Bolivia still hopeful | OneFootball

Néstor Lorenzo's team wants to break their losing streak and secure their ticket to the World Cup, while La Verde is playing its last card to keep dreaming. They face off starting at 8:30 PM.

The Colombia National Team faces Bolivia this Thursday from 8:30 PM at the Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez Stadium for Matchday 17 of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The team led by Néstor Lorenzo wants to break their bad run and secure their spot in the World Cup, while La Verde is playing its last card to keep dreaming.

The Tricolor comes into the match with the obligation to win to guarantee their presence in United States, Mexico, and Canada 2026, but they are going through a tough period. The team managed by Néstor Lorenzo has gone six matches without a win and recently lost the final of the 2024 Copa América against Argentina, a blow that left its mark. To turn things around, the coach made important changes to the squad, with Jhon Durán leaving due to injury and Dayro Moreno returning after nine years of absence.

For their part, Bolivia keeps its hopes of direct qualification alive, although the equation is clear: they need to win in Barranquilla to stay in the race. If they don't, they'll have to aim for a spot in the Playoff zone, where they are fighting head-to-head with Venezuela, who are one point ahead. The team led by Óscar Villegas is confident they can repeat the victory they achieved last October, when they beat Colombia 1-0 with a goal from Miguel Terceros, who is also the second top scorer of these Qualifiers with six goals, tied with Lionel Messi.

The statistics, however, do not favor the Bolivians: La Verde has not scored an away goal against Colombia since 1996, but hope remains intact. The key will be to take advantage of the spaces and the inspiration of Terceros, along with Moisés Paniagua and Henry Vaca, who will be crucial to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

Probable Colombia lineup

Camilo Vargas; Andrés Román, Dávinson Sánchez, Jhon Lucumí, Johan Mojica; Jefferson Lerma, Richard Ríos, Jhon Arias, James Rodríguez, Luis Díaz; Jhon Córdoba.Coach: Néstor Lorenzo.

Probable Bolivia lineup

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.