World Cup Qualification Playoffs: Australia vs. Peru Preview, Odds, Prediction

Australia and Peru meet in the finals of the intercontinental World Cup playoffs at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Australia reached here following a win over the United Arab Emirates in the Asian playoffs. At the same time, on the other side, the Peruvian national team ended fifth in the CONMEBOL qualifiers earning this playoff spot. The stakes are the highest possible, and to be honest, we can’t wait for this encounter to start. The tension back home in both countries is enormous; therefore, the pressure on the players is enormous.

Preview

Australia (+320) won the latest two games, but overall, they aren’t confident at all. The Socceroos were third in their qualifying group and reached here only after beating the United Arab Emirates in the Asian playoffs, 2-1.

Throughout history Australia had a recognizable playstyle, including strong midfield, a physical approach on the field, and very effective set-pieces. However, apart from being physical, this generation of players can’t offer anything else. The defense has struggled, often allowing goals, while on the other side, the attackers deliver quite often, but they can’t cover up the deficit from behind all the time.

Australia’s games on the road are interesting. Five of the previous six were with both teams scoring, and four ended with three or more hits. Pretty efficient, we might say.

Peru (-110) lost just twice in the past ten games, winning six events and having two draws besides that. But what was important was that the Peruvians won the critical games, and as a result, they’ve ended up fifth in the South American World Cup qualifiers, which brought them here.

This unit plays tough and hard football, without too many goals. “Defense first” is their moto, and they aren’t abandoning that at any cost. Only one event in the past seven has seen three goals, and all the others were below that limit.

One game in the latest six was with both teams netting, yet another proof that the Peruvians’ matches aren’t attractive when it comes to efficiency. They use a lot of tactics, and usually want to slow down the pace as such style suits them well.

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All the players on both teams are prepared to play, and there won’t be any notable absences.

Head to Head Games

There is only one head-to-head encounter between Australia and Peru, and it took place at the most recent World Cup in Russia, when Peru triumphed, 0-2. Neither team advanced to the next stage, however.

Prediction

The game will be interesting, but we believe the Peruvians have a better team and more quality than the Socceroos. Their tactical knowledge is at a much higher level. Also, the Australians have been struggling to provide consistency throughout the entire Asian part of the World Cup qualifiers, against the teams who are way weaker than those from South America. Peru is a more dense and compact unit than the Aussies, and it is really no wonder why they sit as solid favorites among the bookies. The odds on their victory are at -110.

Pick: Peru wins -110

Here is the preview for other World Cup playoffs game between Costa Rica and New Zealand.