Ecuador fans enjoy the atmosphere prior to kickoff during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group E … [+] match between Honduras and Ecuador at Arena da Baixada on June 20, 2014 in Curitiba, Brazil.
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International football is back to interrupt the domestic game, and in South America it returns for the first time since the Copa America tournament took place in the United States this summer.
The FIFA 2026 World Cup will see the latin elite return to North America in under two years time and that’s what these teams will be playing for this week. It’s matchday seven and eight of the South American qualifying phase, and some tasty ties await us on Thursday.
Argentina V Chile
Argentina will invite neighbours and historical rivals Chile to the Estadio Mâs Monumental for a clash that sees top of the table take on a side who are struggling infront of goal. Argentina have the best defensive redcord in qualifying and Chile have the second worst attack.
In 2015 and 2016 Chile beat Argentina in back-to-back Copa America finals, but Argentina are now champions of both the continent and the world. It would be a miracle if Chile were to take even a point from their trip to Buenos Aires this week. Even despite the absence of Lionel Messi from the Argentina squad.
Argentina’s players acknowledge the crowd at the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American … [+] qualifiers football match between Argentina and Ecuador, at the Mas Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, on September 7, 2023. Argentina won 1-0.
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Bolivia V Venezuela
Bolivia haven’t played at the World Cup since 1994, when it was also held in the United States. However neither form nor the league table would suggest that fate is taking them to the 2026 tournament. Bolivia are second bottom and have conceded 14 goals in six qualifiers so far.
Their visitors Venezuela are the only side from South America that have never been to a World Cup finals, but the ‘vino tinto’ have had a flying start to this campaign and continued their good run in the Copa America this summer. Bolivia, as always, have a special home advantage thanks to the altitude of La Paz, but Venezuela will be looking for points having lost just one of their six opening qualifiers.
Salomon Rondon of Venezuela looks on during the CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024 match between … [+] Venezuela and Canada at AT&T Stadium on July 6, 2024 in Arlington, United States.
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Uruguay V Paraguay
Uruguay had made a great start to World Cup qualifying but trouble in the stands at the Copa America means they have met a bump in the road. Their Copa semi final defeat to Colombia was marred by violence and a number of Uruguay players have been banned for the upcoming qualifying games, so Marcelo Bielsa’s men will be without the likes of Darwin Núñez, Ronald Araújo and more for this game. This week Luis Suárez has also announced that he will be retiring from international football, so it’s a time of change in the Uruguay camp.
Thankfully for Uruguay however, visitors Paraguay had a shocking Copa tournament and don’t look very threatening in the league table either. They have scored just one goal in six qualifiers so far. Therefore, Uruguay will still have enough to win this game at home, despite the absence of important senior players.
Luis Suarez speaks during a press conference to announce his retirement from the Uruguayan national … [+] team at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay on 02 September 2024. Uruguay’s all-time leading goalscorer has announced that he will play his final match for the national team this Friday against Paraguay in Montevideo in the South American qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup North America-2026.
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Brazil V Ecuador
Ecuador sit a point above Brazil in the qualifying table so a home victory for the five-time World Cup champions would move them above their visitors and solidify their rank amongst the automatic qualifying spots. Both of these teams, despite being blessed with incredible talent, flattered to deceive at the Copa America this summer.
Brazil were edged out by Uruguay on penalties in the tournament quarterfinals, after coming second in their group. Ecuador also lost on penalties in the quarters, to Argentina, afer a sluggish start to the group phase that included an opening game defeat to Venezuela. Both teams have a point to prove and will fancy their chances of taking points from this one.
Endrick Moreira and Vinicius Junior of Brazil looks on during a training session one day before the … [+] CONMEBOL 2024 Copa America tournament at the Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex on July 05, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Peru V Colombia
The last game to kick-off on matchday seven will be Peru against Colombia in Lima, and both sides come into this fixture in very different form. Peru have been woeful in both the Copa and this qualifying campaign. They have won zero games from a possible six, scoring just one and conceding eight.
On the other hand, Colombia have been sublime. They narrowly missed out on a trophy this summer, losing the Copa final to Argentina in extra time, but they had previously held the longest unbeaten run in international football and have been playing some fantastic stuff. Their final defeat in Miami felt like the start of something, not the end, so Peru could be in for a tricky night once again.
Rodrigo De Paul of Argentina battles for the ball with Luis Diaz of Colombia during the CONMEBOL … [+] Copa America USA 2024 match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 15, 2024 in Miami Gardens, United States.
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Publish date : 2024-09-03 00:57:00
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