SM
Greece vs. England: 16 hrs 58 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
PN
World Cup Qualifying - South America | Group Stage
Nov 14, 2024 at 11.30pm UK
Estadio Defensores del Chaco
AN

Paraguay
vs.
Argentina

 

Preview: Paraguay vs. Argentina - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Paraguay vs. Argentina - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Thursday's World Cup Qualifying - South America clash between Paraguay and Argentina, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying leaders Argentina travel to Asuncion to face a tricky Paraguay side on Thursday night.

Lionel Scaloni's side are on the cusp of qualifying for the finals in 2026, where they will defend the crown they won in Qatar two years ago.


Match preview

Another professional display last month means Argentina continue to lead the way in South American qualifying, thrashing Bolivia 6-0 on home soil to remain three points clear of Colombia.

A Lionel Messi masterclass put the hapless Bolivians to the sword in Buenos Aires, as the captain netted a hat trick and set up a further two goals in a faultless performance by the little magician.

That win moved the Albiceleste to 22 points, and with mid-20s often enough top finish in the top six, Argentina have one giant foot in the finals already.

Scaloni's side will not take their foot off the pedal though, as they should seek now to ensure they finish top of the section, something they have not managed in the last two qualifying cycles.

Playing away from home will not deter them either, like it does to most teams in CONMEBOL, as Argentina have taken 10 points from their five games on the road so far, four more than any other nation.

However, the only points Argentina have dropped on their travels have come in their last two, as they were beaten in Colombia in September, before being held by Venezuela last month.

Facing Paraguay will be no easy stroll either, as La Albirroja were the last team to stop Argentina scoring in an away fixture, when they met in qualifying here back in 2021.

Like Paraguay's games in general of late, there is often very little excitement when these two nations meet, with the last seven encounters producing just seven goals, and the last two held here ended goalless.

That will be the name of the game again for the hosts though, as their tally of four goals scored and four goals conceded in their 10 qualifiers so far clearly illustrates what their plan is to qualify for a first World Cup since 2010.

Credit is in order for manager Gustavo Alfaro though, because while not pretty on the eye, it is hugely effective, with Paraguay entering this matchday inside the automatic qualifying positions.

Excellent form over the last two months since Alfaro's appointment has catapulted Paraguay from outsiders to favourites to nick the final qualifying spot in sixth, as they have taken eight points from their last four outings.

Winning your home games and drawing away is always a good recipe to reach the finals, especially in South America, and that is what Paraguay have been doing, beating Brazil and drawing in Uruguay in September.

Alfaro's men repeated the trick last month too, facing fellow pragmatists Ecuador and drawing 0-0, before getting the better of Venezuela on matchday 10, leaving them one point above Bolivia in the playoff spot, and two ahead of Venezuela in eighth.

While the stats on goals for and against are remarkable, Paraguay showed they are capable of turning it on attack against La Vinotinto, as that 2-1 win over Venezuela was the first time in qualifying that one of their matches has produced more than one goal.

Paraguay World Cup Qualifying - South America form:


Paraguay form (all competitions):


Argentina World Cup Qualifying - South America form:


Argentina form (all competitions):



Team News

Manager Alfaro will be facing his home nation here, and seven members of his squad play domestic football in Argentina, so making good preparation will not be beyond them.

The squad is virtually unchanged from the one Alfaro named in October, but in attack, there are concerns about the lack of game time most of Paraguay's players are currently getting.

Antonio Sanabria has recently broken back into the Torino team after netting a brace in the win over Venezuela last month, but the Premier League trio behind him, Miguel Almiron, Julio Enciso and Ramon Sosa, are all struggling to get regular minutes at club level.

For Argentina, Enzo Fernandez has also seen his game time heavily reduced in recent weeks at Chelsea, but he remains an important figure in the Argentina midfield, so should start.

Giovani Lo Celso has also recovered from the injury he picked up during the October break just in time to be called up again, and being away from home could see Scaloni sacrifice Lautaro Martinez for the Real Betis man.

If one Martinez misses out, one will certainly return, because Emiliano Martinez is back in the squad after serving a two-match suspension last month, and will replace Geronimo Rulli between the sticks.

Paraguay possible starting lineup:
R Fernandez; Caceres, G Gomez, Alderete, Balbuena, Alonso; Cubas, D Gomez; Almiron, Sanabria, Enciso

Argentina possible starting lineup:
E Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Romero, Tagliafico; De Paul, Enzo, Lo Celso, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez


We say: Paraguay 0-0 Argentina

Paraguay will set out their stall early on to go for a 0-0 draw here and chase a seventh clean sheet in 11 qualifiers, and their brilliant recent home form suggests they are capable.

Argentina will know that they only need a few more points to progress to the finals, and a draw would not be a bad result for them either at a venue where they have only won once since 1997, ahead of a very enticing home clash with Peru next week.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__557965 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-11-12 17:28:44:
html db last update - 2024-11-12 17:28:44 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Martinez returns to Argentina squad as Serie A star misses out
"I don't really like it" - Kane hits out at England withdrawals
"There's always that link": Welbeck comments on Man United return speculation
Lionel Messi's record vs. Paraguay
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Cristiano Ronaldo's record vs. Poland

1

CR

What all-time winning record could England equal against Greece?

2

WA

Preview: Mozambique vs. Mali - prediction, team news, lineups

3

PM

Lee Carsley responds to mass injury withdrawals amid Harry Kane's criticisms

4

LC

Preview: Zimbabwe vs. Kenya - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PZ

Preview: Uruguay vs. Colombia - prediction, team news, lineups

6

PU

Liverpool favourites? Premier League race assessed as City and Arsenal falter

7

LF

Preview: Taylor Fritz vs. Alex de Minaur - prediction, head-to-head, tournament so far

8

PT

Preview: Jamaica vs. USA - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PJ

Preview: Scotland vs. Croatia - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PS


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .