Bolivia vs Uruguay prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-03-24 20:00.
[p]The honeymoon period is well and truly over for Bolivia manager Óscar Villegas who, after winning his first three games in the dugout following his July appointment, has now overseen a run of four internationals without a victory (D1, L3). They conceded a whopping 15 goals in the process, with that rotten run leaving their hopes of reaching a first World Cup finals since 1994 firmly in the balance.[/p]
[p]The Greens finished the last matchday of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying (WCQ) with by far the worst defensive record of this cycle, with a 3-1 loss in Peru last round meaning they have conceded 30 times in just 13 games. They have also slumped to seventh place in the table and are subsequently clinging onto an inter-confederation play-off spot, but a streak of five internationals without defeat on home soil (W4, D1) should provide supporters with hope that their team can bounce back to winning ways here.[/p]
[p]Any confidence may be extinguished by the sight of opponents Uruguay, given the two-time World Cup winners lost just two of the 17 H2Hs to take place this century (W12, D3). The visitors will be desperate to rediscover that kind of success as they have only won one of their last eight internationals (D5, L2). Strangely, the only one of those games to see them concede more than once was the one they won![/p]
[p]There’s now immense pressure on manager Marcelo Bielsa to deliver, with tensions heightened further by a 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals Argentina last week. The Sky Blues consequently started matchday 14 in fourth place, and whilst only a disastrous run of results would deny them a place at the World Cup, some fans could be concerned that their last victory in regulation time outside of Uruguay came in July 2024 (D4, L2).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: After scoring just once in his first 15 internationals, Bolivia’s rising star Miguelito started this round only behind Lionel Messi for most goals of this qualifying cycle, with his five goals coming in his last six games. Uruguay’s Manuel Ugarte is back from suspension and has won more tackles (23) than any other player in these CONMEBOL WCQ games.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Nine of the last 11 H2Hs produced over 2.5 goals.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matt Jones[/i][/p]