Argentina vs Colombia

Argentina will be looking to inflict a devastating blow on Colombia’s hopes of advancing to Qatar 2022 when the two South American giants lock horns at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes.

Despite dealing with a raft of high-profile absences for injury and Covid-related reasons, including best player Lionel Messi and manager Lionel Scaloni, Argentina started this latest batch of World Cup Qualifiers with a 2-1 win at Chile. As a result, the Argentineans have maintained their eye-catching 14-game unbeaten run in the ongoing qualifying (W9, D5). So they still aim to become the first-ever South American nation to complete an 18-game qualifying format without a single defeat. A goalless draw with arch-rivals Brazil in Argentina’s most recent home fixture halted their run of three consecutive home victories in World Cup qualifying. But Colombia’s visit to Cordoba appears as a prime opportunity to get back on track, with ‘La Albiceleste’ going five successive World Cup qualifying H2Hs without conceding when facing the Colombians at home (W4, D1).

In the meantime, Colombia’s chances of qualifying for the upcoming tournament are hanging by a thread, as they sit two points adrift of fifth-placed Uruguay with three games to go. The Colombians have failed to live up to expectations in this cycle, registering a disappointing win ratio of 20% (GP15 – W3, D8, L4) while playing out more goalless draws (4) than any other South American nation. Indeed, Colombia’s scoring woes have seen them fail to get on the scoresheet in their last two World Cup qualifying matches on foreign soil (D1, L1), attempting only four shots on target combined across those travels. By contrast, they’ve been well-disciplined at the back, restricting their opponents to under 1.5 goals in each of their last five road trips in the competition.