Ecuador vs Venezuela prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-03-20 21:00.
[p]Ecuador have done well to ensure that their three-point deduction received at the beginning of these World Cup Qualifiers (WCQs) has not derailed their attempt to reach the tournament for a second successive time, as they have taken 11 points from a possible 18 in the second half of 2024 (W3, D2, L1) under new head coach Sebastián Beccacece to start this matchday six points clear of the inter-confederation play-off spot (seventh place). [/p]
[p]Beccacece remains confident that his side can finish in the top six despite missing important Sparta Prague wing-back Ángelo Preciado and Cercle Brugge attacker Alan Minda, as well as depth options Leonardo Campana and Jhoanner Chávez. One of the reasons for Beccacece’s belief has been Ecuador’s defensive brilliance on home soil, as they have conceded just once across their six such WCQs (agg. 8-1) to remain unbeaten in that regard this campaign (W4, D2). [/p]
[p]That is bad news for upcoming opponents Venezuela, who have just 11 goals to their name this campaign and failed to score in the reverse fixture (0-0). Their 4-2 loss away to Chile in their most recent WCQ meant that they were the only South American nation to go through 2024 without a single qualifying win (D3, L3), consequently dropping out of the top six, though they remain firmly in contention for the inter-confederation play-off place.[/p]
[p]Bridging a five-point gap to the automatic qualification places ahead of matchday 13 therefore appears almost impossible based on Venezuela’s notorious away struggles in this competition. Despite scoring in four of their six WCQs on the road this campaign, they have not returned home with a single victory (D2, L4), meaning that they are now on a 15-game winless run in such internationals (D2, L13), although they should at least be buoyed by having defeated Ecuador 2-1 on neutral territory in last year’s Copa América.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Gonzalo Plata delighted fans with a brace in Ecuador’s last home encounter (4-0 v Bolivia) and has been a creative force for Flamengo, registering an assist in three of his last five club games. Telasco Segovia equalised against Brazil last year – his first-ever international goal – and has scored three times in his last six matches for Inter Miami. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Both teams have scored in five of the last seven H2Hs, despite those seven games averaging fewer than 2.5 total goals. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Aaron Murphy[/i][/p]