Paraguay vs Bolivia prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: World Championship – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-10-17 22:30.
With only a point between them after three matchdays, Paraguay and Bolivia are stuck in the bottom three of CONMEBOL’s standings with plenty of work to do to qualify for the FIFA 2026 World Cup. Yet, the extended number of qualification slots this time around means the hosts, who are yet to score a goal in this cycle of World Cup Qualifiers (WCQ) (D1, L2), are just two points behind a play-off place. That boosts hopes that they can reach the showpiece tournament for the first time since their historic quarter-finals appearance back in 2010.
Paraguay have a near-perfect historical home record against Bolivia in WCQs (W9, D1) although the lone aberration happened in the last qualification cycle. Any hopes of extending that dominant record will depend on finding more consistency in front of goal as the White and Red started their home WCQs with a goalless draw against Peru, which continued their scoring struggles of four blanks across their last five home WCQs (W1, D2, L2).
Bolivia are stuck to the bottom of the table (L3) with three successive defeats and look far away from ending their drought on the World Cup stage, with their third and last appearance at the tournament coming way back in 1994. The three defeats in this qualification cycle made it seven straight losses in the WCQs for La Verde, their worst such run this century, painting a grim qualification picture for the visitors even at this early stage.
On the road, Bolivia have lost their last seven away WCQs, conceding at least three goals in each defeat. It is part of the bigger malaise for the visitors, who have historically won only three of their 85 away WCQs, losing a whopping 71.
Players to watch: Miguel Almirón has two goals for Newcastle across his last three club games. Another for him here could be key to victory given Paraguay have won five of the last six games when he was on the scoresheet. Bolivia’s all-time top-scorer (31) and most-capped (104) player Marcelo Moreno opened his team’s scoring in a 2-2 draw in this fixture during the last qualification cycle.
Hot streak: Bolivia have conceded the opening goal in their last ten consecutive away WCQ matches.