CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JULY 10: Davinson Sánchez #23 and Mateus Uribe #15 of Colombia celebrate … [+] their victory while Darwin Núñez #19 of Uruguay looks on during a game between Colombia and Uruguay at Bank of America Stadium on July 10, 2024 in Charlotte, NC.
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Uruguay V Colombia
The FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers are back in the continent of South America this week, and the pick of the bunch is a repeat of the Copa America 2024 semi final.
Surely this encounter cannot be as heated as the last, or can it? Colombia snatched victory that day, as Uruguay players picked up heavy fines and long bans for entering the stands to fight with a small section of Colombia fans. It was a poor advert for the Copa America and South American football in all honesty.
We hope those ugly scenes are behind us and that this one is a spectacle on the pitch instead, but the home nation Uruguay have been stuck in a rut lately. They have tough fixtures like this one coming up in abundance so their lack of goals and wins should be extremely worrying for coach Marcelo Bielsa.
Colombia is coasting through, playing with a joy and freedom that will now surely see them sail through to the World Cup 2026. The question is how high they might finish in this table. This one will be a close encounter and both teams will still have some work to do afterwards to guarantee qualification.
Paraguay V Argentina
Argentina visits neighbouring Paraguay as they look to stay on top of the table, while their hosts scrap for a place amongst the automatic qualifying spots. Incredibly, Paraguay and its football association have made a statement this week saying that they will ban Lionel Messi and Argentina shirts from entering the home section of the stadium.
Such is the popularity of the great man and his national team, many home crowds are dotted with the blue and white stripes when he comes to town. Paraguay wants to ensure their home fans are supporting the right side this week though. Lionel Messi may have limited minutes in this fixture and play more in the home tie but the World champions should be able to take victory in Asunción either way.
Lionel Messi of Argentina gestures during a training session at Lionel Messi training camp on … [+] November 12, 2024 in Ezeiza, Argentina.
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Venezuela V Brazil
Venezuela managed to hold Argentina to a draw here in the last international break, can they achieve the same feat against Brazil? They already managed a draw against the five-time World Cup winners in the reverse fixture.
The visitors were in poor form but might have turned that around, as last time out they picked up two wins from two. Nonetheless this will be a tricky test for them, Venezuela has proven over the last year it can compete with the top nations over 90 minutes.
‘La Vinotinto’ had an amazing start to this campaign but now sit in eighth place, just outside of the qualifying spots. They are just one point behind Bolivia in the play off place though, and two behind Paraguay in the automatic qualifying position, so their fortune could change very quickly.
Venezuela’s players celebrate scoring against Brazil during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American … [+] qualification football match between Brazil and Venezuela at the Arena Pantanal stadium in Cuiaba, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, on October 12, 2023.
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Ecuador V Bolivia
Ecuador have slowly but surely made their way through this qualifying campaign with small improvements and steady point scoring, despite having to start on -3 points due to a CONMEBOL penalty. Low scoring games have kept them away from the headlines but victory here would see them sit comfortably in the automatic qualifying zone.
Bolivia meanwhile, have made history by going on a streak of victories, and they even won away from their home fortress for a change. However if they want to qualify for the World Cup, from seventh place, they still have a lot more points to pick up. Unfortunately for them they have conceded too many goals and Ecuador will be too good for them in this one.
Peru V Chile
The ‘wooden spoon’ encounter takes place between the bottom two nations this week, they have been incredibly poor during this campaign, and a draw in this tie might completely damn them both. Fans of both nations will be thinking the same; they will be dreading this encounter and wondering how they went from playing at World Cup’s so recently to perhaps becoming the worst team in South America.
Either Peru or Chile needs a win to realistically leave the other in the dust and make up some ground on the chasing pack ahead, even then the winner would have work to do, but they would be back in the race.
Chile have lost their last five. Peru has picked up some points lately, so maybe with the home advantage it will be Peru that takes this one. Having said that, they have only scored three goals in 10 games. Perhaps a horrific 0-0 draw is on the way. A result which, as mentioned, might kill the World Cup hopes of both sides. May fortune favour the brave in this tie.
Carlos Zambrano of Peru (L) in action against Darwin Nuñez of Uruguay (R) during the FIFA World Cup … [+] 2026 South American Qualifier match between Peru and Uruguay at Estadio Nacional de Lima on October 11, 2024 in Lima, Peru.
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Publish date : 2024-11-13 05:03:00
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