Colombia v Greece: Los Cafeteros can win without concession
Published:Group C favourites Colombia kick-off their World Cup campaign against Greece and the well-fancied South Americans are good value for an opening victory to set them on their way.
Having qualified just shy of Argentina’s benchmark, this Colombia side is full of attacking talent and playing in their own continent big things are expected of Los Cafeteros.
Their first opponents Greece are not likely to be pushovers in any shape or form, as we’ve come to expect from the Euro 2004 champions, but the arsenal of attacking talent available to Colombia coach Jose Pekerman should find a way past.
Colombia look well worthy of backing at 4/5 to begin their tournament with victory, while there’s sufficient evidence to support the more lucrative punt of 31/20 on a win to nil.
The Greeks may have halted their run of four winless games leading into the tournament by beating a Bolivia side 2-1 which Colombia thrashed 5-0 in qualifying, but that followed three games without finding the net.
Reliant on a combination of Celtic striker Georgios Samaras and Fulham misfit Kostas Mitroglou for the goals, their Achilles Heel was always going to be finding the net, as it has been in two previous finals appearances – where the total tally stands at just two.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s last two tests against European foes both came in autumn friendlies against relative powerhouses Belgium and Holland, where the South Americans kept their sheets clean on both occasions.
Much has been made about the absence of the Colombian’s star striker Radamel Falcao.
However, given the glittering array of alternative options available to Pekerman, such as River Plate’s Teofilo Gutierrez who, has struck 12 times in just 30 caps and, Porto’s prolific front man Jackson Martinez, the impact ought not to be too severe.
A Gutierrez opening strike looks well tasty at 9/2.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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