Paraguay vs Argentina prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2024-11-14 23:30.
[p]It’s been a solid start for Paraguay (W3, D4, L3) who currently occupy the final automatic 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification place in the South American standings. With Bolivia and Venezuela starting the round one and two points behind them in seventh and eighth respectively, they can take nothing for granted although they’re in good form having performed strongly to go unbeaten across their four games in September and October (W2, D2). [/p]
[p]Keeping that run going will be tricky this time out, as even though those wins came at home against Brazil and Venezuela, they now welcome world champions Argentina, a team they haven’t beaten at home since 2009 (D2, L1). Each of those fixtures were also World Cup qualifiers, with the last two both drawn 0-0, which will give Los GuaranĂes encouragement at Estadio Defensores del Chaco.[/p]
[p]Argentina still top the qualification standings (W7, D1, L2) despite a mixed set of results since winning the Copa AmĂ©rica in the summer (W2, D1, L1). Their 6-0 hammering of Bolivia most recently courtesy of a hat-trick from the evergreen Lionel Messi was the perfect response to losing 2-1 to Colombia and drawing 1-1 with Venezuela, and they’re boosted further by the return of goalkeeper Emiliano MartĂnez from suspension, while Valencia’s Enzo Barrenechea has been called up for the first time. [/p]
[p]That latest result suggests La Albiceleste are unlikely to draw a third consecutive blank in away H2Hs, especially having also scored in every one of their qualifying games away from home since their last visit (W5, D2, L1). Nevertheless, those dropped points against Colombia and Venezuela did come away from home meaning that their away record in this WCQ cycle (W3, D1, L1) exactly matches Paraguay’s at home![/p]
[p]Players to watch: Antonio Sanabria was Paraguay’s hero against Venezuela, scoring both goals meaning that all five of his international strikes have come in World Cup qualifiers, the last four at home. Following Messi’s performance for Argentina against Bolivia last month (G3, A2), he’s since netted four goals in as many club games, all of them after the 60th minute.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Nine of Paraguay’s last ten World Cup qualifiers produced under 1.5 goals (W3, D4, L3).[/p]
[p]Written by John Pennington[/p]