Uruguay v Chile betting tips: La Celeste look to bounce back
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Uruguay started their Copa America campaign with a 1-0 defeat by Argentina and they have another tough Group A game against Chile tonight.
The rescheduled tournament finally got under way a year late having been taken away from co-hosts Colombia and Argentina and controversially moved to Covid-rife Brazil but all matches are taking place behind closed doors.
La Celeste are the 20/23 favourites to get their first win but let’s look at some of the other markets and odds in our Uruguay v Chile betting tips.
Match Odds
Uruguay may have lost their opening game but four of the five teams in Groups A and B will qualify for the quarter-finals so there is no need to push the panic button just yet.
That said, Oscar Tabarez’s side failed to get a shot on target in Friday’s defeat by Argentina although Edinson Cavani had a penalty appeal turned down.
Uruguay beat Chile 2-1 in World Cup qualifier in October courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Maxi Gomez and they also won 1-0 exactly two years ago in the group stage of the Copa America thanks to Cavani’s winner eight minutes from time.
However, they drew 0-0 with Paraguay and Venezuela in World Cup qualifying a few weeks ago and have failed to score in their last four matches, so we go 13/2 on another goalless game.
Blackburn striker Ben Brereton, whose mother was born in Chile, scored the only goal against Bolivia on Friday after they had opened their group campaign with a 1-1 draw against Argentina, just as they did in World Cup qualifying, so they have made an excellent start and are 7/2 to beat Uruguay for the first time in five years while a draw can be backed at 9/4.
Talking Tactics
Tabarez went with his usual 4-4-2 against Argentina during which Luis Suarez and Cavani led the line, with Lucas Torreira and Rodrigo Bentancur playing in the middle, Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde wide right and Nicolas De La Cruz on the opposite flank.
Chile are unbeaten in their last five games and are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation as they did against Bolivia, with Brereton and Jean Meneses either side of main striker Eduardo Vargas.
Arturo Vidal plays on the right of midfield but Alexis Sanchez is out of the group stage with a foot injury.
Goalscorer Odds
Brereton’s winner on his full debut for Chile means he starts at 11/1 to break the deadlock and 9/2 to get on the scoresheet again, although Vargas is the 15/2 and 16/5 favourite in the same markets for Martin Lasarte’s side.
Despite Uruguay struggling in front of goal, Suarez is the 16/5 favourite to land the first blow and 7/5 in the anytime market while Cavani is 10/3 and 6/4 by the same measure.
Match Info
Where: Arena Pantanal, Cuiaba, Brazil
When: 22:00, Monday 21st June
How to watch: BBC iPlayer
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
