Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The fifth round of the Copa Libertadores group stage brings us a clash between Brazil's Palmeiras and Bolivia's Bolivar, set for Friday at the Allianz Arena in São Paulo. We're offering a goal-focused prediction for this encounter, featuring an attractive odds boost.
Match preview
Palmeiras are powering through the group stage in dominant fashion, securing victories in every match while displaying flawless football. The team confidently dispatched Sporting Cristal (3-2), Bolivar (3-2), and twice overcame Cerro Porteño (1-0 and 2-0). This commanding form has also carried over to domestic competition: in their last 12 games, "Verdão" have claimed 11 wins, underlining their superb run.
Last weekend, Palmeiras hosted São Paulo and clinched a narrow 1-0 victory. The winning goal came in the fifth minute of stoppage time, sealing a dramatic finish for the home side. After eight rounds, Palmeiras sit atop the Série A table, holding a two-point lead over Flamengo.
Bolivar have faced major struggles on the road in this season's Copa Libertadores. The Bolivian side has lost both away fixtures: 1-2 against Sporting Cristal and 2-4 against Cerro Porteño. Their only victory came in the second round, when they dominated Sporting Cristal at home with a 3-0 result.
Currently, Bolivar are at the bottom of Group G, trailing second-placed Cerro Porteño by four points. Given the strength of their opponent, Bolivar's hopes of picking up points here are slim, and their chances of advancing from the group are nearly gone. Notably, Bolivar did manage a 2-0 away win over Aurora in the Bolivian league last weekend.
Probable lineups
- Palmeiras: Weverton, Agustin Jailson, Gustavo Gomez, Bruno Fuchs, Arturo Andrade Elias, Richard Rios, Alejandro Moreno, Joaquín Piquerez, Estevão, Paulinho, Flavio Lopes
- Bolivar: Diego Romero, Pata Rodriguez, Ramiro Vaca, Carlos Melgar, Leonel Justiniano, Jose Velasquez, Miguel Torrén, Jesus Sagredo, Javier Sagredo, Yasmani Rocha, Ruben Cordano
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the first leg, Palmeiras defeated Bolivar away with a 3-2 scoreline
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has landed in five of the last matches involving these teams
- The "Both teams to score" option has paid out in three of the last five meetings
Prediction
Given their current form and home advantage, Palmeiras enter this match as heavy favorites. In their last two encounters at Allianz Parque against Bolivian opposition, Palmeiras have scored a remarkable nine unanswered goals. Our pick: Palmeiras to win with a -1.5 handicap at odds of 1.71.
