Argentina vs. Chile Soccer Odds, Expert Pick & TV Info

Posted by Henry Watkins on Tuesday,March 21, 2017 9:35, EDT in

Soccer News

As many of the domestic football seasons are entering the final few weeks, we get a little break in the action so that the players can head off to represent their respective nations in World Cup qualifying. There are great battles raging in all of the qualifying sections across the world, but one that looks a little strange right now is in South America.

No-one is really surprised that Brazil have a comfortable lead atop the group, but what is downright shocking is that Argentina are currently sitting in 5th, with a legitimate shot at not qualifying for the World Cup next year of they cannot find a way to improve their current form. They will go against Chile on Thursday night, and will be able to leapfrog them into 3rd or 4th, depending on other results, with a win.

Another loss for Argentina could really start to put some serious pressure on this group, as it would see them 4 points back with just 5 qualifying games remaining. You hate to classify a game as a must win, but this one certainly has that feel for Argentina. Find the latest soccer betting odds here.

Here’s A Closer Look At The Argentina vs. Chile Soccer Odds, Expert Pick & TV Info

When: Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 PM EST
Where: Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Argentina
TV: FOX Sports
Live Stream: FOX Sports GO
FIFA Odds: TBA

Why bet on Argentina

The last 5 games have not been particularly kind to Argentina, as they have just a single win during that stretch. A pair of draws were followed up by a disappointing 1-0 loss to Paraguay, and a demoralizing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brazil their bitter rivals. Argentina do deserve some credit for bouncing back from that loss to get a 3-0 win over Colombia in a game that was as convincing as the score suggests. This is a team that really should not be struggling like this, though, but they have become a group that appears to be a little too reliant on the exploits of Lionel Messi. Others, such as Angel Di Maria, need to step up and do their part for the cause.

Why bet on Chile

Chile had some defensive issues at the start of this qualifying campaign, but they appear to have laid those to rest. They have only a single loss in their last 5 games, a 3-0 defeat to Ecuador, and are coming into this one on the back of an impressive 3-1 victory over Uruguay, the team currently sitting second in qualifying. The Chileans will lean heavily on Alexis Sanchez here, but there may be some concerns about his fitness, as he was taken off limping in his last start with Arsenal. This is a crucial game for Chile, though, and I am sure that he will be ready to go for this one.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The last meeting between these two came in the Copa America Final, with Chile winning that one on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation. I expect this to be another tight affair and would not be surprised to see it end in a tie.