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Played
November 15, 2011 4:00 PM EST
Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez — Barranquilla
Referee:‬ Salvio Spinola Fagundes Filho‎
Attendance:‬ 49600‎
 
Lionel Messi 61′
 
Kun Agüero 85′

World Cup Qualifying Preview: Colombia - Argentina

The Cafeteros play host to Alejandro Sabella's men in Barranquilla's Estadio Metropolitano, as they attempt to extend their unbeaten start to the Conmebol qualifying campaign

By Daniel Edwards

Ezequiel Lavezzi (Argentina)
Getty

PROBABLE LINEUPS


COLOMBIA




Ospina
Zuniga, Mosquera, Yepes, Armero
Bolivar, Aguilar
Pabon, Rodriguez, Ramos
Martinez


ARGENTINA



Romero
Zabaleta, Burdisso, Fernandez, Rodriguez
Sosa, Mascherano, Gago, Guinazu
Messi, Higuain


There are several injury absences for the home team. Fredy Guarin was hurt in Friday's draw with Venezuela and joins Radamel Falcao and Carlos Sanchez on the casualty list, while Luis Perea misses out through suspension. Camilo Zuniga comes in at right back, while Abel Aguilar replaces Guarin, Adrian Ramos enters on the left wing and Aquivaldo Mosquera fills in alongside Mario Yepes in defence.

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella is set to make several changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Bolivia on Friday. Martin Demichelis relinquishes his place to Napoli's Federico Fernandez after his disastrous error, while Javier Pastore and Ricky Alvarez are replaced by Pablo Guinazu and Jose Sosa in a more defensive XI. Javier Mascherano is the only doubt, and Rodrigo Brana is on stand-by to replace the former captain if he does not recover from injury.


DID YOU KNOW?
  • Colombia has faced Argentina 31 times, winning eight and suffering 17 defeats.
  • Their last meeting was in July 2011 in Santa Fe, where Argentina was held to a 0-0 draw in the Copa America group stage.
  • Colombia is currently unbeaten in the qualifying tournament, having won one and drawn one in its opening two fixtures.
  • The Cafeteros' finest moment against their rivals came in 1993, when they destroyed Argentina 5-0 in El Monumental. Freddy Rincon and Faustino Asprilla were the heroes on that day, both scoring twice.
  • That, however, proved to be the last time Colombia beat the Albiceleste away from home.
  • The match will be the first time No. 10s Lionel Messi and James Rodriguez have shared a pitch. The Colombian phenomenon missed out on the Copa America as then-coach Hernan Dario Gomez preferred to use him as the figurehead for the hosts of the Under 20 World Cup.
  • Argentina will be keen to avoid more toils on the Caribbean coast when it visits Barranquilla. It was beaten 1-0 by Venezuela in October in Puerto La Cruz, its first-ever defeat at the hands of the Vinotinto.


Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
Head to Head
WCQ 2014 (Conmebol) ‎(WCQS)‎ Nov 15, 2011 Colombia 1 - Argentina 2
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Copa America ‎(CA)‎ Jul 6, 2011 Argentina 0 - Colombia 0
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WCQ 2014 (Conmebol) ‎(WCQS)‎ Jun 6, 2009 Argentina 1 - Colombia 0
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WCQ 2014 (Conmebol) ‎(WCQS)‎ Nov 20, 2007 Colombia 2 - Argentina 1
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Copa America ‎(CA)‎ Jul 2, 2007 Argentina 4 - Colombia 2
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Last Five Matches
Team News
Available Squads
Results
Matchday 4
Times In EST
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Luis Suárez Luis Suárez
Striker
Uruguay
5 0
Gonzalo Higuaín Gonzalo Higuaín
Striker
Argentina
4 0
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Argentina
3 0
Marcelo Moreno Marcelo Moreno
Striker
Bolivia
2 1
Diego Forlan Corazo Diego Forlan Corazo
Striker
Uruguay
2 0