LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 29: Uruguay player Luis Saurez reacts during the Men's Football first round Group A Match between Senegal and Uruguay on Day 2 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wembley Stadium on July 29, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Uruguay go away to Colombia, who might feel like they need to avoid a loss.
Colombia have played some decent football and haven't had any embarrassing results thus far in World Cup qualifying. Their campaign has gone about as expected, but unfortunately, that has them in sixth place in CONMEBOL at the moment. They have the talent to get back to the World Cup, but they'll need to pull off an upset or two in qualifying to get there. On Friday, they have an excellent chance to grab three points against a top opponent and record a statement win when Uruguay comes to Barranquilla.
When at their best, Uruguay have looked like the strongest team in South America during this qualifying tournament, but they've also fallen asleep in a couple of losses. Their front three is arguably the most potent in international football, and the rest of their team is loaded with experience.
Uruguay are likely to line up in a 3-4-3 formation, and while Colombia could create matchup problems with a 4-3-3 formation, it's certainly not their forte. Jose Peckerman seems to prefer partnering Radamel Falcao up top with Dorlan Pabon, a strategy that has produced mixed results. They're a versatile side, however, and can change both their formation and overall strategy quickly.
Carlos Sanchez should be a key man in the middle for Colombia if he starts. Fredy Guarin doesn't offer much defensively, and Uruguay's forwards will take turns dropping deep to find the ball. Sanchez is going to have his hands full in midfield, and it will be interesting to see if Peckerman gives him any help.
Game Date/Time: Friday, 4:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Roberto Melendez, Barranquilla, Colombia
TV: beIN Sport (U.S. - Spanish)
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