The most hotly anticipated quarterfinal match of the Copa America 2015 takes place on Friday when Colombia will face off against Argentina.

Both teams are the highest ranked in the tournament, according to FIFA's rankings, but few would believe that they deserve such high esteem.

Colombia, a team with a swashbuckling offense that enamored the world over in Brazil last summer, enters this match with a sputtering offense that has one goal to its name. That goal came off a setpiece and off the foot of defenseman Jeison Murillo. Superstars like Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez have been virtually non-entities in this tournament, just one of many Colombian issues.

Murillo has as many goals as Lionel Messi, the Argentine captain who scored 58 goals for Barcelona this past season. Messi, who is known for his creativity and invention has scored his lonely goal from a spot that least requires creativity or genius -- the penalty spot.

Besides that he has been a facilitator and strong at retaining the ball, but has constantly watched his teammates miss opportunities or fail to capitalize. In all, his Argentina has also lacked offensive class despite having four goals in three games.

What will make this game interesting is the fact that both teams are designed for a wide open game. Argentina's defense is nothing to write home about, conceding 9.7 shots per game. That ranks fourth in Chile mainly because Argentina has monopolized 70 percent of possession in its games. However, Argentina is among the lowest teams at interceptions, a rather shocking number considering the team's possession prowess.

That should facilitate Colombia's run and gun game, which benefits most when the team plays on the counter as opposed to the ill-suited possession game it has often been forced into during this tournament.

Argentina's offense, buoyed by its possession, is unsurprisingly the most apt at creating shots on goal (16.7 per game) and is also effective on getting them on target (six per game). That will test Colombia's defense which has actually been the best in the tournament at shot prevention and interceptions. Colombia is also third in the tournament at tackles per game (23.7 per game), but is ninth in fouls per game (16.3 per game), exemplifying a tactical intelligence on making tackles. Meanwhile Argentina is 11th overall with just around 15.7 tackles per game. Possession is a likely reason for this low figure for the Argentines, but it does bode poorly in the event that this game takes on a physical dimension.

X-factors

Argentina enters the game as the favorite, while Colombia will rely on two keys to winning this game. Radamel Falcao needs to sit and a 4-2-3-1 system must be restored to get the most out of James Rodriguez. If Falcao remains, then Colombia's offense will continue to sputter and possibly implode.

The other X-factor is more crucial as the team will have to learn to live without its two defensive midfielder Edwin Valencia and Carlos Sanchez. The former is out injured while the latter has a suspension. Sanchez was effective at shutting down Lionel Messi when these sides met back in 2011, but his replacement, likely Alexander Mejia will be tasked with shutting down the Argentina genius.

Prediction:  A high-scoring affair with Argentina reigning 3-2.

Start Time: 7:30 p.m. EST

The game is available on beIN Sport USA and can be streamed on the channel's service.