Argentina vs Venezuela: Will the Argentines find motivation?
The Argentina and Venezuela national teams are set to clash in Matchday 17 of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers. The game will take place in the early hours of Friday, September 5, kicking off at 1:30 CET. Here’s my betting tip for this fixture.
Argentina vs Venezuela: match preview
Argentina have delivered a fantastic qualifying campaign for the upcoming World Cup. In 16 matches, the team has collected 35 points and currently sits atop the table. Their lead over second place is ten points—a gap that opened up after Chile took points off Ecuador. After that, Argentina crushed Brazil 4-1 to secure their World Cup berth. They then edged Chile 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Colombia. Two matches remain for the Albiceleste.
Venezuela are still fighting for a spot at the World Cup. After 16 qualifying rounds, they have 18 points and occupy seventh place in the standings. Seventh place earns a playoff spot, but Venezuela still have a shot at climbing higher. They trail the sixth-placed team by four points and are just one ahead of eighth. Only two matchdays remain, so with the right results, the Venezuelans could still make it to the World Cup.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Argentina are unbeaten in six straight matches: one draw and five wins.
- Venezuela have managed just two wins in their last ten outings.
- Argentina have scored at least once in 22 consecutive matches.
- Argentina boast the best attack in the qualifiers.
- The previous head-to-head ended in a 1-1 draw.
Probable lineups
- Argentina: E. Martínez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Almada; Messi, L. Martínez, Paz
- Venezuela: Romo; Aramburu, Navarro, Ángel, Ferraresi; J. Martínez, Cásseres, Bello; D. Martínez, Rondón, Soteldo
Prediction
Argentina have nothing left to play for in terms of qualification, but they remain clear favorites. My tip: Argentina individual total over 2 goals at odds of 1.7.
