This match is a repeat of July’s Copa America final, where Colombia and Argentina, both strong favorites to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, face off again. Their last encounter was a fierce battle, with Lautaro Martinez’s extra-time goal securing Argentina's second consecutive Copa title.
That defeat was a tough blow for Colombia, as it marked their first Copa America final in 23 years under Nestor Lorenzo, who has revitalized the team since taking charge in 2022.
The Copa final loss was Lorenzo’s first in 26 matches as Colombia’s coach, and it was also Colombia’s first defeat since falling to Argentina during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. However, Colombia bounced back last Friday when Luis Diaz scored a late equalizer to grab a point against Peru, keeping their unbeaten run alive.
That result pushed Colombia up to 13 points, securing third place and a comfortable seven-point cushion in the automatic qualifying spots.
Meanwhile, Argentina extended their lead at the top of the table with a 3-0 victory over Chile, thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez, and Paulo Dybala.
With 18 points out of a possible 21, Lionel Scaloni’s men are 12 points clear in the automatic qualification zone, looking well on track for their 14th straight World Cup appearance. Argentina hasn’t missed a World Cup since 1970, and with the current qualifying format, they’ve become masters of the campaign.
Winning away from home is never easy in CONMEBOL, but Argentina boasts a remarkable record, unbeaten in 13 away qualifiers since their last defeat in Bolivia’s high altitude seven years ago.
With Brazil struggling and both Uruguay and Colombia dropping points recently, Argentina is firmly expected to finish first in the group. Keeping their unbeaten streak intact against a strong Colombia side would further solidify their dominant position in qualifying.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Colombia will be without two key veterans for this match, as goalkeeper David Ospina and defender Davinson Sanchez are both out due to injury. In their previous game against Peru, Jhon Cordoba was a surprise starter over Aston Villa’s in-form striker Jhon Duran. However, Duran may get the nod this time after replacing Cordoba off the bench in Lima.
James Rodriguez, who didn’t start against Peru, came on in the second half, having not played since the Copa America final. With 45 minutes under his belt and his recent move to Rayo Vallecano, he’s expected to start and captain the team this time around.
Liverpool’s Luis Diaz will be one to watch, having had a fantastic start to the season, including scoring Colombia’s equalizer last Friday. He’s already tallied three goals and an assist in his first three Premier League matches.
As for Argentina, they’ll be missing Lionel Messi, who is still recovering from the ankle injury he sustained during July’s Copa final against Colombia. Additionally, Nicolas Tagliafico, Leonardo Balerdi, and Exequiel Palacios are also sidelined with injuries, while Lucas Martinez Quarta has been left out of the squad.
With Angel Di Maria now retired following Argentina’s Copa America triumph, Matias Soule has been called up and may make his debut after an impressive year in Serie A. Taty Castellanos, who received his first national team call-up, made his debut as a late substitute in Argentina's recent 3-0 win over Chile.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Colombia possible starting lineup:
Vargas; Munoz, Lucumi, Mina, Mojica; Rios, Lerma, Arias; James, Duran, Diaz
Argentina possible starting lineup:
E Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Romero, Li Martinez; De Paul, Mac Allister, En Fernandez, Lo Celso; Alvarez, La Martinez
EXPERT PREDICTION
Colombia 2-2 Argentina
Colombia has managed just one win in their last 13 matchups, with many of them ending in draws. Given Argentina's solid performance away from home, another draw seems quite possible."
