2018 World Cup Odds and Prediction: Peru Team Betting Preview

Guerrero made a triumphant return after a Swiss court overturned his suspension, scoring a pair of goals against Saudi Arabia and showing the football world that Peru is a team to take seriously in Russia.

 2018 World Cup Peru Betting Odds

Odds to advance: +180

Odds to win World Cup: +20,000

World Cup wins: 4

Best result: Quarterfinals (1970)

FIFA World Ranking: 11

Manager: Ricardo Gareca

Captain: Alberto Rodriguez

Players to Watch

 Paolo Guerrero: The 34-year-old has a knack for timing, as his brace in his first game back in action made him Peru’s all-time leading goal-scorer in international competition with 35. Look for Guerrero to be at the centre of the majority of Peru’s scoring opportunities, and the extra motivation he’ll have could mean big things for his country’s offensive attack.

Jefferson Farfan: Farfan was the choice among oddsmakers to lead Peru in scoring at +200 – but that was before Guerrero saw his ban reversed. Yet, despite the stunning decision, Farfan remains a solid play to finish as the team’s leading goal-scorer – he might be the best dribbler on the team, and should see a little extra space if opposing teams key in on Guerrero.

 Edison Flores: While Guerrero and Farfan are both quickly approaching their mid-30s, the 24-year-old Flores is hitting his prime – and oh, what a prime it will be. Flores already has nine goals in 26 international caps and shared the team scoring lead with Guerrero at World Cup qualifying. His young legs make him a sensational +600 play to lead the team in goals.

World Cup Formation and Projected Starting 11

 Formation: 4-2-3-1

Projected Starting 11: Pedro Gallese; Luis Advincula, Alberto Rodriguez, Christian Ramos, Miguel Trauco; Renato Tapia, Yoshimar Yotun; Jefferson Farfan, Christian Cueva, Edison Flores; Paolo Guerrero

Peru Strengths

Ball control is how Gareca’s team ended its 36-year World Cup drought – and any hope it has of advancing past the group stage is tied to how well Peru can maintain possession. Tapia and Yotun are elite passing threats in the midfield and are happy to bide their time until something opens up. It’s not the most exciting approach, but it has served Peru well – and could be the difference between a Round of 16 berth and an early trip home.

Peru Weaknesses

When two of your top three offensive threats are 34 and 33, respectively, you’re at risk of being overwhelmed by younger, faster teams. Guerrero and Farfan worked well together in a pair of March friendlies, but similar success could prove elusive against world powers France and Denmark. And while Flores is a legitimate wild card, he won’t be able to do it all himself if his older teammates are rendered ineffective by opposing defenders.

Peru News

There is only one piece of Peru soccer news worth revisiting, and that’s Guerrero’s overturned ban. And while Guerrero looked positively electric against the Saudis, there’s bound to be some rust. Look for Gareca to try and take the pressure off his veteran striker by having Farfan join him up front, or by having his midfielders more involved on offence in the early going.

Peru Betting Prediction

Forget the world ranking here – Peru is in tough to get out of this group, and its fate might be sealed after one game as it opens against a Danish team that is expected to mount a serious challenge for the Round of 16. A loss to Denmark will mean Peru would need to earn at least one point against France – and the chances of that happening are slim. That’s a major reason why the Peruvians are a whopping -350 to be eliminated in group play.

On the other hand, Peru has the patience and precision to make a game of it against the Danes – and a victory in the opener would almost certainly result in a trip to the elimination round. And while that would almost certainly mean a Round of 16 encounter with world No. 5 Argentina, getting that far – an outcome that pays +300 – would almost certainly be treated as a victory by millions of Peruvians who haven’t had a World Cup team to root for since 1982.