Ecuador vs Venezuela predictions: Nothing to separate South American pair
- Four of the last six meetings between these two sides have finished level
- Venezuela have drawn four of their last seven games
- Recommended bet: Draw
Group B of the Copa America gets underway on Saturday with Ecuador and Venezuela set to lock horns at Levi's Stadium, California.
Ecuador have never won the Copa America — their best showing was a pair of fourth-place finishes in 1959 and 1993 — but they come into this year's tournament having lost just two of their last 10 games.
Venezuela are also chasing a first Copa success and will certainly hope to improve on their group-stage exit from when the competition was last held three years ago.
Team news
Chelsea's Moises Caicedo will be among the familiar names in Ecuador's starting line-up, which should also include teenager Kendry Paez, who is set to join his compatriot at Stamford Bridge next summer.
Enner Valencia will captain the side and he will be looking to add to the record 41 goals he has scored for his country.
Venezuela should also have their record marksman in attack, with former Newcastle striker Salomon Rondon set to lead the line.
Santos midfielder Tomas Rincon will captain the side and he should be joined in the middle of the park by Yangel Herrera, who has enjoyed a successful season in LaLiga with Girona.
The stats
Ecuador are in good form, losing just two of their last 10 games and those defeats have come against high-quality opposition in World Cup winners Argentina and European champions Italy.
Venezuela have drawn four of their last seven games, but they have not been in action since a goalless stalemate with Guatemala in March.
Four of the last six meetings between these two sides have ended all-square, including the most recent clash, a goalless draw in a World Cup qualifier last November.
Both teams should have their all-time record goalscorers leading their lines on Saturday, with Ecuador's Enner Valencia and Salomon Rondon of Venezuela having both netted 41 goals for their respective countries.
Prediction
Recent meetings between these two sides have been tight affairs with four of the last six ending all-square, while the two that were not drawn during that run were only decided by the odd goal.
There is no reason to suggest this will not follow a similar pattern, especially as both teams have tended to be hard to beat of late, Ecuador losing just twice in 10 games and Venezuela suffering only three setbacks across their previous 16.
The Wine-Red have also drawn four of their previous seven and, with Mexico and Jamaica to come for both these sides in this group, it would be no surprise to see this one end all-square.
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