Uruguay v Colombia: Prediction, Tips and Odds

There were fireworks the last time Uruguay played Colombia when their Copa America semi-final ended in a mass brawl, but the home side will need to arrest a run of four games without a goal in Montevideo on Friday night.

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa will have a stronger team available as all suspensions have been served, but Colombia, who are second in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying table, will fancy their chances of taking three points.

Uruguay v Colombia betting tips and predictions

Colombia draw no bet - 11/8

Friday night’s Uruguay v Colombia World Cup qualifier will stoke memories of their ill-tempered Copa America semi-final in Charlotte in the summer, but the home side have their own issues to address if they are to exact revenge in Montevideo.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side appeared to be cruising into the 2026 finals, but they have failed to score in their last four matches, three of which have ended in goalless draws, while they suffered an unexpected 1-0 defeat in Peru.

He will have all of his players back after the suspensions they served in the aftermath of the Copa America fracas and the Uruguayans will be searching for a spark, but they face a team whose passage to the finals is looking a lot more comfortable.

Colombia sit second in the CONMEBOL standings behind Argentina and they have already posted a 2-1 win at home to the World Cup winners.

Nestor Lorenzo’s side lost 1-0 to Bolivia last month, which was their first defeat inside 90 minutes in 31 outings, and while they played 70 minutes against 10 men, their defeat probably owed more to the crushing altitude rather than their opponents’ superior ability.

They bounced back with a 4-0 win over Chile and should be back in the groove for this visit, especially with the events of their last meeting adding extra spice.

It could be a tight game as that victory is the only occasion in their last six matches that Colombia have been involved in a match with more than two goals, and the same applies to eight of Uruguay’s last nine.

So the draw-no-bet option appeals as the best way to back an away victory.

Luis Diaz to score at any time - 7/2

Liverpool’s Luis Diaz is enjoying a strong season and he looks a good option in the anytime goalscorer market.

Diaz scored three goals at the Copa America and has also scored four of Colombia’s 13 goals in their qualifying campaign.

His recent form is strong too as he netted a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 4-0 UEFA Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen last week and has also netted six times in the Premier League this season, so the 27-year-old looks Colombia’s strongest threat.

Jhon Arias to be booked - 4/1

Plenty will be expecting lots of cards on Friday night after what happened in the summer, but neither Colombia or Uruguay have had a rash of bookings during their qualification matches.

The home team have picked up 23 yellows in their 10 matches, while Colombia have earned 22 yellows and one red.

One player who could find his way into the book is Colombia wideman Jhon Arias, who has received three cautions during the qualification campaign.

He has also been booked twice in his last three Brazilian Serie A matches for Fluminense, so don’t be surprised if he is at the heart of the action again, and he could pick up another booking if the officials are unable to keep a lid on things.

Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.

Uruguay v Colombia odds

Uruguay - 5/4
Draw - 11/5
Colombia - 12/5

View the full market and more odds for Uruguay v Colombia on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.