Argentina welcome Venezuela to La Bombonera in the early hours of Saturday morning as we enter the home stretch of FIFA World Cup qualification.
Venezuela find themselves rock bottom of the CONMEBOL standings – three points behind ninth-place Paraguay. As a result, they can no longer qualify for Qatar 2022.
#SelecciónMayor El equipo de @lioscaloni realizó hoy su primer ensayo en #Ezeiza.¡Comenzó una nueva semana de preparación albiceleste! 🇦🇷 😃 pic.twitter.com/9OtIgUefwS— Selección Argentina 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) March 21, 2022
#SelecciónMayor El equipo de @lioscaloni realizó hoy su primer ensayo en #Ezeiza.¡Comenzó una nueva semana de preparación albiceleste! 🇦🇷 😃 pic.twitter.com/9OtIgUefwS
At the opposite end of the group, Argentina sit second – four points behind Brazil and 25 points clear of Venezuela. The 2021 Copa America champions have already booked their spot at the World Cup.
Argentina have yet to taste defeat in World Cup qualifying, picking up ten wins and five draw from their 15 matches.
They also boast the best defensive record in the South American group, having conceded a measly seven goals this campaign.
The Argentines went through 2021 unbeaten, securing ten wins and six draws. Let’s not forget that Lionel Scaloni’s men claimed the Copa America title for their troubles.
Earlier this year, Argentina kicked off 2022 with back-to-back wins. That means they are currently enjoying a 29-game unbeaten streak across all competitions.
As for Venezuela, they have only managed to win three of their 16 qualifiers – recording one draw and 12 losses along the way.
Although they have won more games than Paraguay, they have registered the fewest draws and this most wins in the South American section.
It is also worth noting that Venezuela have the second-worst defensive record in the CONMEBOL group, having conceded 30 goals this campaign.
Across 2021 and 2022, the Venezuelans have won just two of their 16 encounters across all competitions.
To make matters worse, they have lost nine of their previous 11 matches. Last time out, they suffered a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Uruguay.
Head-to-head: Venezuela have managed to win just two of their 27 meetings with Argentina over the years.
Argentina have lost only one of their past seven matches against Venezuela, winning the previous two by a combined scoreline of 5-1.
Team news: Argentina's squad features nine uncapped players, including Manchester United’s 17-year-old midfielder Alejandro Garnacho. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi could earn his 159th cap.
On the flip side, Venezuela’s squad contains six MLS-based players. Captain Tomas Rincon is set to make his 116th appearance, alongside Everton’s Salomon Rondon.
Ultimately, this matchup brings together two sides at opposite ends of the South American football spectrum.
Given that Argentina have already qualified for the World Cup and Venezuela are rock bottom of the group, Forebet predicts that Argentina will claim all three points on Friday.