Tuesday's match between Chile and Argentina has tremendous implications for the two squads.
After an impressive 3-0 win over Uruguay in the final half hour of the match, Argentina remained atop the group with 17 points. Lionel Messi has looked better and better in every match for the national team and could be poised for another huge game against Chile. He had a tremendous last ditch effort to score the opening goal as he slid into the ball right before Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera could collect the sphere. He found a breaking Angel Di Maria on the left flank with an expert loft that led to the second goal. And he ended the scoring with a moment of sublime genius in which he outsmarted the wall of Uruguayan defenders on a set piece that he sent under them. Argentina will be without Gonzalo Higuain but with Messi, Sergio Aguero, and Di Maria in top form, this team should have no real issues. Their defense has also been solid as they reduced Uruguay to minimal opportunities to score.
Chile is on the decline during the last few qualifiers. Prior to last September's match against Colombia, they were in the top spot on the board. But a 3-1 loss to Colombia and even more embarrassing 3-1 loss to Ecuador have people questioning whether this team has any hopes of a World Cup 2014 run. Against Ecuador they could not even score as an own goal gave them their only marker. But they were dismantled by an impressive Ecuadorian side the exposed the flaws in this team's backend. Colombia and Ecuador are both impressive squads, but Argentina is the best of them. With the offense Argentina possesses, Chile may be in for a world of hurt.
Chile's poor results are likely a result of the crippling injuries they have accumulated. Captina Claudio Bravo, Jose Rojas, Pablo Contreras, Osvaldo Gonzalez, Waldo Ponce, Eugenio Mena, Arturo Vidal, Charles Araguiz, Jorge Valvidia, Humberto Suazo, Mauricio Pinilla will all be out during the match against Argentina. All of these players are potentially major contributors and will be sorely missed for a struggling Chilean side.
With a win, Argentina has 20 points and a firm eight point lead on Chile in the fifth spot. If Venezuela wins their fixture, they could possible get 14 points and would still be two wins away from catching Argentina with eight games to go. With a loss, Chile continues its decline down the standings. A win puts them one point behind Colombia with 15 points, but a loss keeps them four points behind third place. With Uruguay and Chile tied for fourth with 12 points, a Chilean win is a necessity to keep pace or run away from the Uruguayans.
Prediction: Bleacher Reports' Tim Daniels has Argentina winning 2-0. BetAsia says that Odds are Argentina's favor for the match due to the injuries accumulated by Chile. Latinospost predicts an Argentinian romp over Chile 4-0. If Ecuador can score 3 against the Chileans, then why can't Messi and company have a field day with a debilitated squad?
Start Time: 8:05 p.m. EDT
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