Argentina’s World Cup qualifier campaign has not quite gone to plan. They head into their last group game in Ecuador on Wednesday in sixth place in the South American qualification section.
La Albiceleste are in desperate need of a win to qualify for next year’s World Cup, even a win might only seal a play-off depending on results elsewhere. However, a draw could be enough to book a play-off spot, but that would also depend on what happens elsewhere in the group.
Jorge Sampaoli’s team are currently level on points with fifth-place Peru, who face Colombia in their final game of the campaign. The two-time world champions will be looking to win this clash to take qualification out of the hands of the other teams.
The visitors have endured a terrible qualification campaign so far and have failed to win any of their last four qualifiers drawing their last three qualifiers. Ironically, for a team with so many quality forward players available to Sampaoli, they have struggled to score goals.
In fact, they have found the net just once in their last four qualifiers, including a goalless draw against qualification rivals Peru last time out. The fact that the visitors have failed to win any of their last five away games in qualifying is worrying for everybody connected with the South American giants.
Ecuador are out of the qualification picture after five successive defeats in World Cup qualifying, which gives the visitors hope of ending that poor run on their travels.
The home side’s record on home soil is not great in qualifying either, as they have won just two of their last six home qualifiers and suffered defeat in their last two games. Ecuador’s home qualifiers have been high scoring of late, as six of the last seven games have produced over 2.5 goals.
Neither side are in any sort of form heading into this clash. However, Forebet is backing Argentina to come away from Quito with a vital victory and either an automatic qualification spot or a play-off position.