Uruguay vs Argentina prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-03-21 23:30.
[p]Two of the main CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying (WCQ) contenders meet as Uruguay aim to narrow a five-point gap to leaders Argentina and close in on qualification. They’ve already beaten the reigning world champions once in this qualification cycle, winning 2-0 in Buenos Aires in November 2023 to break a sequence of seven winless H2Hs (D2, L5).[/p]
[p]La Celeste have been formidable at home too, winning nine of their last 11 matches in Montevideo (D2), although that sequence started after Argentina beat them 1-0 in November 2021. They kept clean sheets in four of the last five of those games, which must have pleased head coach Marcelo Bielsa as he eyes a third consecutive personal H2H victory against his native Argentina. [/p]
[p]With six matchdays remaining and six guaranteed qualification places, Argentina are close to confirming their place at the 2026 World Cup, but there’ll be no let up as they’re also protecting top spot in the FIFA rankings. Since their Copa América triumph in July, Lionel Scaloni’s men have experienced mixed fortunes (W3, D1, L2), with defeats to Colombia and Paraguay keeping the door ajar at the top.[/p]
[p]Argentina have few weaknesses, but one might be their travelling form as they’re winless across their last three WCQ away games (D1, L2) – their longest such run since a sequence of five during qualifying for the 2018 World Cup that included a 0-0 draw in Uruguay. Even with Lionel Messi missing through injury, they remain a potent attacking force and the reigning world champions haven’t drawn a blank in a WCQ road game since October 2021 against Paraguay (W5, D2, L2).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Only Messi (G6) has outscored Uruguay’s Darwin Núñez (G5) before this round of fixtures – his last three goals for Liverpool each came after the 50th minute. Opposite number Julián Alvarez quickly put his controversial Champions League double-touch penalty disappointment behind him by opening the scoring for AtlĂ©tico Madrid at the weekend – three of his last four goals have broken the deadlock.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Four of the last five H2Hs produced exactly one first-half goal.[/p]
[p][i]Written by John Pennington[/i][/p]