One of the favourites to grab a top-four place and qualification for Germany in 2006, Colombia have had a torrid start to the CONMEBOL, picking up just two wins in their opening ten games. Still, they are just three points off fourth, and Villa striker Angel believes that he can put recent injury behind him and can show his true form against Bolivia tonight, and put a 4-0 defeat to the same opposition in La Paz behind them.
"I am much better than what I have shown recently for Aston Villa," he said, "In fact, I’m happy because the three South Americans at Aston Villa are all hitting good form.” De la Cruz will hope to continue that ‘good form’ tonight when his fourth-placed Ecuador side face leaders Brazil in Quito, while Solano, whose Peru team is currently second-last in the table, are also at home against mid-table Chile.
Thomas Sørenson will be Villa’s sole representative in European qualifying when his Denmark side travel to Georgia, though Thomas Hitzlsperger and Olof Mellberg will be in friendly action. Hitzlsperger will hope to get an opportunity to shine for Germany as they face tough opposition in the shape of Cameroon and Mellberg will make the short trip north of the boarder as Sweden play Scotland.