Bolivia vs Peru Prediction 16.11.2023

• Competition: World Cup qualification South America - Group A
• Date: Thursday, 16th, November 2023
• Kickoff: 20:00 UTC / 21.00 CET
• Venue: Estadio Hernando Siles (La Paz)

Bolivia and Peru, two South American national teams struggling in the World Cup 2026 qualification campaign, will clash swords on Matchday 5 at Estadio Hernando Siles this Thursday.

Bolivia's national team will kick off the November qualifiers with a fresh face in the coaching dugout, as they've decided to part ways with Gustavo Costas due to a dreadful start, appointing Antonio Carlos Zago. Now, the Brazilian tactician takes on the role of a savior to change the course of things and get his team back into the race for a spot on the world's biggest stage, although he's well aware that he faces a tough mission. Indeed, La Verde experienced a fiasco in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, being the sole representatives from the South American continent without a single point in the opening four matches, leaving them firmly rooted at the bottom of the table.

Unlike their first November challenger, Peru boasts a more significant pedigree, having participated in five World Cup finals. However, their action in Qatar was missing as they tragically lost to Australia on penalties in the playoffs. Undoubtedly, La Blanquirroja will seek redemption for their faithful supporters for the 2022 miss, but they urgently need to find a way to wake up, given that their performance so far can be characterized as a nightmare. Although Juan Reynoso's men opened their qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup with a solid 0-0 draw away to Paraguay, they subsequently lost each of their three matches against Brazil, Chile, and the reigning world champion Argentina, leaving them with just one point more than Bolivia.

Bolivia vs Peru Betting Tips: X2 (Double chance)

While there's no denying that competing at an elevation of three thousand meters presents a formidable challenge, we remain confident that the Peruvians won't be hindered in their quest to leave with at least a point from this high-altitude encounter. Furthermore, playing at Estadio Hernando Siles seems to be no hindrance for La Blanquirroja in achieving optimal outcomes, as they emerged victorious in three out of their last four visits, netting precisely three goals in each of these triumphs. Importantly, Peru has tasted defeat against Bolivia merely once in the past 12 face-offs, showcasing their supremacy by emerging victorious in an impressive six out of the last seven encounters with their Thursday adversary. 

Furthermore, Bolivia has demonstrated that their home-field advantage has been of little benefit in recent months, causing them significant headaches by suffering defeats in each of their last four competitive matches on their own turf. While yet to illuminate the scoreboard in the inaugural moments of this qualification campaign, the factors laid out should serve as a catalyst for the Peruvians, providing the wind in their sails and ample momentum to improve their standing on the table.