Friday 9 October 2015

Colombia vs. Peru live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch World Cup qualifying online

South America is kicking off their World Cup qualification tournament, and it's starting off with some fantastic matches. While the focus will largely be on the Chile-Brazil match, perhaps more love should be given to another battle in this first round of games: Colombia and Peru.
Colombia have lost a little bit of the shine they had going into the World Cup last year, especially after a disappointing Copa America performance that saw them go out in the quarterfinals. They're still an incredibly talented side, though, and will be a major threat to contend with during CONMEBOL's qualification run.
Of course, so are Peru. The Blanquirrojahaven't gone to the World Cup since 1982, but after finishing third in their second straight Copa America and looking better than they have in a long, long time, Peru are feeling good about their chances. A huge upset over Colombia in Baranquilla would be a great way to announce themselves as a serious contender, and this is going to be a massive, massive battle.
Key player -- Falcao (Colombia)
With both Jackson Martinez and Carlos Bacca getting off to slow starts with new teams this season, Colombia's going to have to rely on their captain and most-capped player in this squad to help them through the early stages of qualification. Of course, Falcao hasn't had the easiest start to life at Chelsea himself, but he's going to have to call on his veteran guile and know-how to get the job done. If he can go out and put on a strong performance in this match, Colombia fans will breathe a huge sigh of relief  and feel significantly better about their team's chances over the next few months.
Key Matchup -- Fredy Guarin (Colombia) vs. Josepmir Ballon (Peru)
With James Rodriguez sidelined, the playmaking role in Colombia's side falls to Guarin, who has shown flashes of ability in that role at club level in the past, but has largely struggled when the focus is on him in international matches. His task won't be made easier by Ballon's presence on the pitch, who despite playing domestically in Peru for Sporting Cristal instead of going abroad to a bigger club, has consistently impressed when called on by his country. If Ballon can keep Guarin in check, it's going to be a rough day for Colombia.

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