Chile vs Ecuador prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-03-25 00:00.
[p]Chile start matchday 14 of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers (WCQ) ten points behind the six direct qualification spots and four behind the inter-confederation play-off slot, so their exile from the World Cup currently looks likely to extend to a third consecutive edition. A 1-0 defeat in Paraguay last week erased the positives of earning four points last November, and with continental powerhouses Argentina and Brazil among their next four opponents, La Roja can’t afford to further complicate their campaign by dropping points against Ecuador.[/p]
[p]Their three-game recent H2H record (D1, L2) is far from inspiring, especially as Chile failed to score in each of those games. Scoring has remained a difficult proposition in more recent times too, as the hosts failed to score in three of their last four WCQs, but a 4-2 win over Venezuela in their last home matchday should offer some hope they can end their winless H2H run.[/p]
[p]Second-placed Ecuador won’t be a generous guest, as they face the enormous pressure of starting this round just three points ahead of sixth-placed Colombia, so a loss here could see them lose places rapidly. Unbeaten in six games (W4, D2), La Tri are making up for their three-point deduction in their quest to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup for only the second time in their history.[/p]
[p]Only one of the top-seven teams (Paraguay) had scored fewer goals than Ecuador’s 13 after 13 rounds of this cycle, but no CONMEBOL team has a better defensive record (GA 5). Five clean sheets across their last six WCQs is testimony to those impressive numbers, and with three shutouts across their last four trips in this qualification campaign (W1, D2, L1), even hostile turf doesn’t make their defence any easier to breach.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Eduardo Vargas scored each of his three goals in this current WCQ cycle at home, while his two goals against Ecuador were both in home wins. Enner Valencia scored Ecuador’s last three goals (W2) making it seven consecutive wins in goalscoring appearances for his country, although his only career H2H strike came in a 2-1 defeat. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Only four of Ecuador’s last 13 away WCQs saw both teams score.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Sridhar B[/i][/p]