Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches of the fifth round of the Copa Libertadores group stage will take place on Thursday at the Juan Domingo Perón Stadium, where the home team Racing Club will host Chilean side Colo Colo. Here’s a bet suggestion for this clash with solid chances of success.
Match preview
Racing comes into the match against Colo Colo riding a wave of confidence. The team has been performing superbly in the Copa Libertadores, topping their group with seven points after four rounds. After a dazzling 4-0 away victory over Bucaramanga, Racing regained their composure following a disappointing home loss to the same opponent (1-2) and a hard-fought 1-1 draw away against Colo Colo.
It’s worth noting, however, that the team doesn’t approach this international clash in the best spirits. Over the weekend, Racing played a home Apertura playoff fixture against Platense and suffered a 0-1 defeat, conceding the only goal in the 84th minute. As a result, Racing crashed out of the playoffs and can now fully focus on international competition. Over their last five home games, Racing has registered three wins and two defeats.
Colo Colo, meanwhile, finds itself in a tough spot. The Chilean side has been struggling to find their rhythm in recent matches, suffering three consecutive defeats, including heavy losses of 0-4 to Fortaleza and 1-4 to Limache last weekend in the domestic league, which has taken a toll on the team’s morale. Their current form is hardly reassuring, especially ahead of facing the group leaders on their home turf.
Colo Colo’s problems are clear: a porous defense prone to costly mistakes (11 goals conceded in four matches). In the Copa Libertadores, the team has collected just two points and sits at the bottom of Group E. The only bright spot remains the home draw against Racing (1-1), but getting points away in Argentina will be a tall order. Colo Colo has lost their last three away matches in all competitions.
Probable lineups
- Racing Club: Arias – Colombo, Di Cesare, Quiros, Martirena – Nardoni, Mindal, Rodriguez, Solari – Martinez, Salas
- Colo Colo: Cortes – Isla, Vegas, Saldivia, Wimberg – Lobon, Pavez, Aquino, Vidal – Correa, Cepeda
Match facts and head-to-head
- In January, the teams played a friendly where Racing crushed Colo Colo 3-0 away, while their group stage meeting ended in a 1-1 draw
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has landed in two of Colo Colo’s last five games
- The "Over 2.5 goals" wager has also hit in two of Racing’s last five fixtures
Prediction
Given Colo Colo’s recent struggles, it’s no surprise that bookmakers make the home side clear favorites. We believe Racing will get the job done – our pick: "Racing to win with a -1.0 handicap" at odds of 1.65.
