Copa America quarter-finals: Argentina attack will win Colombia clash

Argentina have lost just one of their last eight meetings with Colombia, winning five, and that pattern looks set to continue with Coral making the 2015 Copa America favourites odds-on at 10/11 for a quarter-final victory in 90 minutes.

Regular punters will need no introduction to the stellar names on show in these nations’ respective attacks, but the Coffee Growers’ outside price of 7/2 is based on the fact their strikeforce has been missing in action in Chile.

Colombia are surprisingly the lowest scorers still active in the competition with just a single strike during the group stage. That came courtesy of Inter Milan-bound centre back Jeison Murillo, who is a remote 16/1 to repeat that feat of netting anytime.

Manchester United loan flop Radamel Falcao, Porto poacher Jackson Martinez and marquee Real Madrid signing of last summer James Rodriguez, who features in a massively enhanced 11/1 matchday special wincast (in 90 minutes), must all do better.

Jose Pekerman, a native Argentine given Colombian citizenship, plots to bring down the country of his birth here, but must do so without suspended striker Carlos Bacca.

In stark contrast to Coffee Growers goal-machines lacking pep, key La Albiceleste trio Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero have all scored at least once at the Copa America.

Featuring in his own enhanced 11/4 wincast, Messi’s matchday special is must more believable than El Clasico foe Rodriguez, as the Argentina captain has two career goals against Colombia.

Aguero, meanwhile, has grabbed the opener on his two Copa America appearances at this tournament so far, so looks fantastic value to score first at 4/1.

This tale of two strikeforces notwithstanding, recent encounters between La Albiceleste and the Coffee Growers have been tight affairs. Two of the last three head-to-heads have ended 0-0, which makes a draw in 90 minutes at 23/10 worthy of consideration.

A single goal has decided the other three of the previous encounters, however, twice in Argentina’s favour, so backing a 1-0 win for them at 17/4 looks a superb shout in the correct score market.