On March 25, 2025, Venezuela will face Peru in a crucial match of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The clash is set to take place at 21:00 (Brasília time) at the Estádio Monumental de Maturín. With only two points separating the teams in the standings, the outcome could significantly impact both nations' chances of qualifying for the tournament.
Venezuela, currently positioned eighth in the qualifiers, has not won a match in nine attempts, leading to considerable frustration among supporters. In this stretch, they have recorded five defeats and four draws, resulting in a total of 12 points from two wins, six draws, and five losses, with 12 goals scored and 17 conceded. Despite their winless away record, the Vinotinto remains undefeated at home, where they have managed two wins and four draws.
The current form of the Venezuelan national team is worrisome, with the side accumulating a nine-game winless streak. They last faced Peru in November 2023, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Historically, Peru has a solid advantage over Venezuela, having claimed victory 23 times in 38 encounters, with Venezuela winning eight and the remaining seven matches ending in a draw.
On the other hand, Peru arrives at this match after a much-needed 3-1 victory against Bolivia, reviving their hopes for a World Cup qualification. They are currently ninth in the standings, with a record showing two wins, four draws, and seven losses, accumulating six goals for and 16 against. A win against Venezuela might help them move closer to the playoff zone, although they still face long odds against the competition.
Much focus will be on veteran striker Paolo Guerrero, who played a key role in leading Peru to its recent victory. The match is expected to be a tightly contested affair as both teams will aim to challenge each other offensively. Experts suggest that opportunities for goals will likely arise, making “both teams to score” a popular betting choice.
The betting odds emphasize this expectation, offering 2.37 for both teams to score during the match. Another attractive market presented is the total goals bet set at over 1.5 goals, with odds of 1.60, and Peru to score over 0.5 goals, at odds of 1.74. This could indicate a thrilling matchup that might see breakthroughs from both sides.
Looking at their probable lineups, Venezuela is expected to start with a formation comprising of Romo; González, Mejías, Ferraresi, Makoun; Cásseres Jr., Buenn, Segovia; Bello, Soteldo (or Mendoza), and Rondón, under the guidance of coach Fernando Batista. On the other side, Peru's anticipated lineup features Pedro Gallese; Advíncula, Garcés, Abram, Trauco; Tapia, Carrillo, Peña; Polo, Bryan Reyna, and Paolo Guerrero under the helm of coach Óscar Íbañez.
The match referee will be Cristian Garay from Chile, who has recorded a moderate number of cards in prior matches — averaging 4.41 yellow cards and 0.39 red cards per game. Given that past encounters between Venezuela and Peru often see ample yellow cards, a notable betting consideration is for more than 4.5 yellow cards, with odds at 1.82 reflecting this trend.
For fans looking to follow the action, the match will be broadcast live on SporTV and can be streamed on Globoplay. As the drama unfolds at the Estádio Monumental de Maturín, all eyes will be on how the outcome can shift the landscape of the South American Qualifiers and reshape the futures of both teams as they aim for World Cup dreams.
