Argentina vs Paraguay prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-10-12 23:00.
Manager Lionel Scaloni is weighing up whether to risk Lionel Messi as defending champions Argentina continue their quest to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup (FWC). Injury has forced the legendary forward to miss a sizeable chunk of matches for his club side Inter Miami in recent weeks, but he came off the bench during their 1-0 defeat at home to Cincinnati last weekend after controversially receiving an international call up.
Even without Messi, Argentina should have more than enough to continue a stunning run of form which has seen them win 12 successive matches, including lifting the FWC in Qatar so dramatically last year. They also have a staggering record in home World Cup qualifiers, losing just two of them since September 2009 (W18, D8) and keeping clean sheets in each of the last seven, the most recent of which was a 1-0 win over Ecuador.
That form does not bode well for opponents Paraguay, who have only won three of the 26 H2Hs in the last 36 years (D13, L10). As if that’s not enough to leave supporters fearing the worst, the Guaraníes are on a dreadful run of form, scoring only four times across their last seven outings, four of which have ended in defeat (W1, D2).
They got their qualifying campaign underway last month by drawing 0-0 at home to Peru, before losing 1-0 in Venezuela. Hopes of reaching a first FWC since 2010 have been lifted by the appointment of Daniel Garnero as their new manager though, and he is promising a more attacking brand of football as Paraguay attempt to pick up just their third competitive win in three years (D7, L9).
Key battle: Lautaro Martínez has netted first or last in his last eight goalscoring appearances for Argentina (W7, D1). He’ll be hoping to get the better of Paraguay captain Gustavo Gómez, who will be attempting to extend his record of just one defeat in five H2Hs (W1, D3).
Hot stat: Paraguay have not scored in a competitive away fixture since drawing 1-1 in Argentina in November 2020 (D2, L6 since).