Argentina will face off against Peru in the World Cup qualifiers on Friday.
Argentina has already clinched a spot in the World Cup next summer with 29 points in 14 games. The team has the top offense in the CONMEBOL with 30 goals scored and also boasts a solid defense with only 11 conceded; only Colombia has had a sturdier defense in qualifying. The team has eight wins, five draws and only one loss; the defeat came against Venezuela on Oct. 11, 2011. Argentina also boasts two of the top three goal scorers in the entire CONMEBOL. Four-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has 10 goals in the competition; Uruguay's Luis Suarez has the same amount. The third highest scorer in the tournament is Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain with nine goals.
Peru made a late run at a top-five spot, but fell short after a poor start. The team has four wins, two draws, and eight losses with 15 goals scored and 22 conceded.
These two sides met on Sept. 11, 2012 and wound up tying 1-1. Carlos Zambrano scored for Peru while Higuain tallied for Argentina.
Prediction: This will be a solid test for Argentina to see how it performs without its top player. Obviously Peru does not offer top notch competition, but the team could potentially surprise with little at stake in this game. Expect an Argentine win by a final score of 2-0 or 3-0.
Start Time: Kick-off starts at 7 p.m. EST.
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