The defending champions are already through to the knockout stage at the Copa America 2024, but will Peru join them? Look ahead to this game with our Argentina vs Peru prediction and preview.
Argentina vs Peru: The Key Insights
- Argentina don’t need to win this game, but the Opta supercomputer thinks they will. La Albiceleste are victorious in 75.8% of pre-match simulations.
- If Argentina win, they will have three consecutive wins against Peru in the Copa America for the first time since between 1927-1947 (W7).
- Should Peru earn the win they need, it would be their first victory over Argentina since June 1997, a 2-1 win at the Copa America to progress to the quarter-finals.
Argentina’s younger players are set to be given the opportunity to shine in their Copa America group meeting with Peru. The reigning champions Argentina secured their spot in the quarter-finals of the competition following their 1-0 win over Chile on Wednesday.
It offers the opportunity for head coach Lionel Scaloni to experiment with his side, and he is hopeful Argentina’s youngsters can seize the moment against La Blanquirroja.
“We are satisfied, and we can enjoy the days, and give the youngest ones minutes,” Scaloni said.
“I think it’s fair to have the players that did not have minutes get onto the pitch.
“Hopefully when we give them [young players] the opportunity, they will be able to seize it.”
La Albiceleste, however, will be without captain Lionel Messi, who will be rested ahead of the knockout stages of the competition after missing training on Thursday.
“I felt some discomfort in my right hamstring at the beginning of the game,” Messi said after the win over Chile.
“In the first play, my adductor got hard. I didn’t feel a tear, but I did find it difficult to move freely.
“It wasn’t as loose as it should’ve been. But I was able to finish the game. We’ll see how it goes.”
This will be Argentina’s 13th meeting with Peru at the tournament, with La Albiceleste recording a win and a clean sheet in their last two meetings at the Copa America (1-0 in 2004, 4-0 in 2007).
Should they emerge victorious, Argentina will have three consecutive wins against Peru in the competition for the first time since between 1927-1947 (W7).
A win will see them triumph in all of their group games for the third time this century. However, they will be hoping to rewrite history having finished runners-up in the two previous instances in which they achieved a 100% win rate in the group stage (2016 and 2007).
Peru, meanwhile, will be looking to remain in the tournament. Jorge Fossati’s men sit bottom of Group A, two points behind second-place Canada, so they must win in Miami. A defeat will see them eliminated from the competition without a win for the first time since 1995, when they recorded two losses (v Brazil and Ecuador) and one draw (v Colombia) in the group stage.
Should Peru earn all three points, it would be their first victory over Argentina since June 1997, a 2-1 win at the Copa America to progress to the quarter-finals.
They have picked up just one point from their opening two group games, losing late on to Canada last time out thanks to Jonathan David’s winner.
Fossati’s side are now winless in their last five games at the tournament, their longest winless streak in the competition (since at least 1993) and face an enormous task against the world champions.
Players to Watch
Argentina: Nicolás González
Having watched Argentina’s opening-game triumph over Canada from the bench, González was brought into the side to face Chile, and his influence on proceedings was evident.
González had the most touches in the opposition box (10), shots on target (2) and second-most shots (3), only bettered by Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul (both 4).
The Fiorentina winger has been involved in more attacking sequences per 90 than any other player to have played a minimum of 45 minutes in the tournament, giving Scaloni food for thought with his team selection on Sunday.
Peru: Gianluca Lapadula
Peru are one of only five sides yet to open their account at the Copa America this year following their goalless draw with Chile and 1-0 defeat to Canada.
Their last international goal came in a pre-tournament friendly against El Salvador, but Lapadula showed promising signs against Canada that a goal was forthcoming.
Lapadula registered the most shots (4) and touches in the opposition box (3) of any player in the Peru squad, and will want to add to his 10 international goals.
Argentina vs Peru Prediction
The Opta supercomputer is heavily backing Argentina to stay perfect at the 2024 Copa America, despite their likely rotated team. They won 75.8% of the pre-match simulations, while Peru won just 10.2%. The remaining 14% ended as a draw.
Argentina vs Peru Squads
Argentina
Emiliano Martínez, Franco Armani, Gerónimo Rulli, Cristian Romero, Germán Pezzella, Gonzalo Montiel, Lisandro Martínez, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Marcos Acuña, Nahuel Molina, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico, Alexis Mac Allister, Ángel Di María, Enzo Fernández, Exequiel Palacios, Giovani Lo Celso, Guido Rodríguez, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Valentín Carboni, Alejandro Garnacho, Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, Lionel Messi, Nicolás González.
Head coach: Lionel Scaloni
Peru
Carlos Cáceda, Diego Romero, Pedro Gallese, Aldo Corzo, Alexander Callens, Anderson Santamaría, Carlos Zambrano, Luis Abram, Luis Advíncula, Marcos López, Miguel Araujo, Oliver Sonne, André Carrillo, Edison Flores, Jesús Castillo, Piero Quispe, Sergio Peña, Wilder Cartagena, Andy Polo, Bryan Reyna, Christian Cueva, Franco Zanelatto, Gianluca Lapadula, Joao Grimaldo, José Rivera, Paolo Guerrero.
Head coach: Jorge Fossati
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