Paraguay meet with Ecuador this Friday in what is set to be a bitter game for the home side with them down in ninth during World Cup qualification.
The home side head into the clash looking to secure safe passage to Qatar 2022.
La #Albirroja ⚪🔴 cerró sus preparativos de cara al partido ante Ecuador.Los detalles del entrenamiento de hoy: https://t.co/RXz9pX1FKD#VamosParaguay 🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/ExlLT7H1ZM— Selección Paraguaya (@Albirroja) March 24, 2022
La #Albirroja ⚪🔴 cerró sus preparativos de cara al partido ante Ecuador.Los detalles del entrenamiento de hoy: https://t.co/RXz9pX1FKD#VamosParaguay 🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/ExlLT7H1ZM
Paraguay have had a disastrous time in the South American table for qualification to the Qatar 2022 World Cup and it has now been one of their worst attempts at getting into the tournament, and despite not sitting in last place right now, their performances have been torrid throughout the campaign.
Ahead of hosting Ecuador, they have lost seven games and drawn seven as well, but worse yet, they have also won just twice from 16 games - no side from all the 10 nations have won fewer than them.
It now puts them on 13 points in the group and there have been no hope of progressing for some time now.
This awful run from Paraguay also comes with one of the worst goalscoring records in the South American side of things over the past few years as the nation have scored only nine times across 16 games. To compare, this is 14 fewer than Bolivia just above them by two points.
Ecuador, on the other hand, are having arguably their best run into a World Cup over the past 20 years they have been attending the summer showdowns. Now, they are ready to secure a place in the final four automatic places and book their ticket for Qatar at the end of the year.
Sitting third in the table after a 1-1 draw with Peru, Ecuador have been excellent for much of the qualification stage and can get into the World Cup for the first time since 2014 with a win and other favourable results.
That draw kept them four points clear of fifth-placed Peru, meaning a win here for La Tri and they may need just a draw in their final game ahead of Uruguay
The fact Ecuador are way ahead of elite nations like Colombia and Uruguay in their pursuit of returning to the World Cup at the end of this year says a lot with their team greatly inferior on paper. Nevertheless, they've still had four draws in the qualification group to date.
Forebet predicts a draw here and for the game to see under 2.5 goals as Ecuador edge closer to World Cup status once again.