Chile vs Paraguay prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-11-16 00:30.
By the time it next comes around, it will be 12 years since Chile played at the FIFA World Cup (WC), so it is hardly surprising that a poor start to World Cup qualifying (WCQ) has supporters already concerned about potentially missing out again in 2026. Eduardo Berizzo’s side have picked up just four points from as many games (W1, D1, L2), with a 3-0 defeat to Venezuela last month leaving alarm bells ringing.
A return to Estadio Monumental should provide some comfort for La Roja, given they are unbeaten in their last five matches on home soil (W4, D1). However, their record in competitive fixtures over the recent years does not make for good reading, with six of their last nine World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) ending in defeat (W2, D1), conceding at least two goals in each loss. Berizzo is evidently feeling the pressure, recently snapping at local reporters for asking questions about his job security.
Despite all that, Chile should be confident of picking up a victory against opponents Paraguay, who have lost nine of the last 14 H2Hs (W3, D2). The visitors have also made a similarly poor start in their attempts to reach the 2026 WC, finally scoring their first goal of the qualifying campaign by beating Bolivia 1-0 last month to end a run of three fixtures without a victory (D1, L2). That was also a maiden victory for new manager Daniel Garnero, who took the reins after Guillermo Barros Schelotto was sacked in September.
Garnero has been tasked with guiding Los GuaranĂes to their first WC since 2010, but in order to do that, he needs to fix his side’s problems in the final third. Most notably, Paraguay have now played nearly 15 hours of away WCQs since last scoring an away goal, a drought that dates back three years. Garnero has promised to at least try to end that, declaring his intent to “attack more than the rivals”.
Key battle: Striker Ben Brereton DĂaz has helped Chile to victory in four of the five games in which he has scored. Attempting to thwart him may be Paraguay captain Gustavo GĂłmez, who has kept a clean sheet in five of his last ten internationals (W3, D2, L5).
Hot streak: Just three of Chile’s last 17 internationals saw both teams score on the day.