Argentina vs Paraguay tips and predictions: Routine win for La Albiceleste
- Sergiu Baltuta
- 12 October 2023
Argentina will take on Paraguay in the third round of the 2026 World Cup CONMEBOL preliminaries on Thursday night (Fri 00:00 BST).
La Albiceleste have maximum points after the first two rounds, with only Brazil in the same situation. However, it's not so rosy for Paraguay with just a point from their two fixtures.
Argentina have been in superb form, going six consecutive games without conceding.
You have to go back to the Qatar World Cup final in December 2022 to find the last time goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had to pick the ball out of the net. They also haven't lost in 12 - the 1-2 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opening game of the World Cup.
Since lifting the trophy, Argentina have played four friendlies and two competitive games including a tricky away game at high altitude in Bolivia where they managed a convincing 3-0 win with goals from Enzo Fernandez, Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Gonzalez.
In the first game of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Argentina managed a 1-0 win at home against Ecuador thanks to a Lionel Messi towards the end of the game.
Argentina don't lose at home, their last defeat came in Cordoba way back in World Cup qualifying in 2016 to Paraguay. All their other 'home' defeats have come outside of the country.
Paraguay's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign started with a goalless draw at home against Peru, followed by 1-0 away defeat to Venezuela.
It’s been more than a year and a half since Paraguay won a competitive game. Their last victory came in March 2022, at home in the preliminaries for the previous World Cup. While friendlies this year have been slim pickings also with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua the only highlight.
The last matches between Argentina and Paraguay haven't offered too many goals. Their last game, which took place at Lima in October 2021 ended 0-0, while Argentina claimed a 1-0 win in June of the same year.
World Cup qualification in 2020 and a Copa America clash in 2019 served up a pair of 1-1 draws too.
Eight of the last nine games involving Paraguay haven't dished up more than two goals, while three of Argentina's last four games ended with two goals or less.
We can't see Paraguay troubling the Argentina goal in this match either, so a routine win is on the cards for the World Champions.
