Played
September 8, 2012 12:10 AM BST
Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes — Ciudad de Córdoba, Provincia de Córdoba
Referee: Wilson Luiz Seneme
Attendance: 51000
September 8, 2012 12:10 AM BST
Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes — Ciudad de Córdoba, Provincia de Córdoba
Referee: Wilson Luiz Seneme
Attendance: 51000
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| Argentina | 1.33 | 1.00 | 1.29 | 1.00 | 1.32 | 1.10 | 1.28 | 1.24 |
| Draw | 5.00 | 51.00 | 4.75 | 51.00 | 4.70 | 7.00 | 5.20 | 5.60 |
| Paraguay | 9.00 | 81.00 | 9.00 | 201.00 | 9.00 | 35.00 | 9.35 | 12.59 |
Argentina - Paraguay Preview: Messi's men hope to keep up winning form against neighbours
The Albiceleste have a 100 per cent record so far in 2012, but will need to be at their best without Aguero and Mascherano to take down their ever-determined rivals
By Daniel Edwards
Lionel Messi / FotoBaires
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
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ARGENTINA
 Romero Zabaleta, Garay, Fernandez, Rojo Gago, Brana, Di Maria Messi, Higuain, Lavezzi |
PARAGUAY
 Villar Veron, Alcaraz, Da Silva, Ortiz Riveros, Oviedo, Caceres, Estigarribia Fabbro, Santa Cruz |
The only doubt for Alejandro Sabella going in to Friday's World Cup qualifier was the system he would play, with the 11 men set to be the same whether the coach opted for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. The ex-Estudiantes man will put faith in the attacking trident that has been used to such devastating effect in his reign, with Ezequiel Lavezzi entering for the suspended Sergio Aguero alongside Messi and Higuain. Javier Mascherano's suspension also opens the door for Estudiantes' Rodrigo Brana to start.
In his first competitive match for Paraguay since taking over from sacked predecessor Francisco Arce, Gerardo Pelusso has gone for a team that will defend in numbers at the back, his 4-4-2 system designed to frustrate the Albiceleste's dangermen. The big news for the Guarani is a first competitive start for Argentina-born forward Jonny Fabbro, who became eligible for the nation in 2012 after completing the necessary five years of residency in Paraguay.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Argentina have been in lethal form throughout 2012. In four games the Albiceleste have triumphed in each, scoring an impressive 14 goals while conceding five.
- This year has also been a vintage one for Lionel Messi. The captain netted hat-tricks against both Switzerland and Brazil, for a total of eight goals in 2012's four run-outs.
- The last competitive meeting against Friday's rivals ended in defeat for Argentina. Paraguay downed Diego Maradona's team 1-0 in September 2009, Nelson Valdez scoring the only goal.
- Indeed, the Guarani have not been beaten in World Cup qualifying away to their neighbours since 1973, in a game which ended 2-1 in Boca's Bombonera home.
- New Paraguay star Jonathan Fabbro may have been born in Buenos Aires, but he also forms half of Paraguay's most famous celebrity couple. The 30-year-old is dating 2010 World Cup star Larissa Riquelme (pictured).
- Coach Gerardo Pelusso comes into the national set-up after winning a lot of fans in the local league. The Uruguayan took Olimpia to the 2011 Apertura title, and has also lifted silverware in his native country and Peru.
- The visitors have been among the most disappointing sides in the Conmebol campaign so far. With just one win in five, over Ecuador, the Copa America finalists lie second-to-bottom in the standings.
- Including the Copa America, where the Albirroja made the final without winning a match, and the 2010 World Cup, the nation has recorded just two wins in their last 16 competitive games; a 2-0 victory over Slovakia in South Africa their only other triumph.
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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Argentina 3-1 Paraguay
- 21.02 %
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Argentina 3-0 Paraguay
- 16.76 %
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Argentina 4-1 Paraguay
- 10.06 %
| World Cup Qualifying - Conmebol (WCQ) | Sep 8, 2012 | Argentina 3 - Paraguay 1 |
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| World Cup Qualifying - Conmebol (WCQ) | Sep 10, 2009 | Paraguay 1 - Argentina 0 |
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| World Cup Qualifying - Conmebol (WCQ) | Sep 6, 2008 | Argentina 1 - Paraguay 1 |
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| Copa America (CA) | Jul 5, 2007 | Argentina 1 - Paraguay 0 |
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Argentina
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| Jun 15, 2013 | Guatemala 0 - Argentina 4 | FR |
| Jun 11, 2013 | Ecuador 1 - Argentina 1 | WCQ |
| Jun 7, 2013 | Argentina 0 - Colombia 0 | WCQ |
| Mar 26, 2013 | Bolivia 1 - Argentina 1 | WCQ |
| Mar 23, 2013 | Argentina 3 - Venezuela 0 | WCQ |
Paraguay
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| Jun 8, 2013 | Paraguay 1 - Chile 2 | WCQ |
| Mar 26, 2013 | Ecuador 4 - Paraguay 1 | WCQ |
| Mar 22, 2013 | Uruguay 1 - Paraguay 1 | WCQ |
| Feb 6, 2013 | Paraguay 3 - El Salvador 0 | FR |
| Nov 14, 2012 | Paraguay 3 - Guatemala 1 | FR |
| Returns: | Argentina £12.86 |
|
Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets | |
| Returns: | Draw £510.00 |
|
Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 | |
| Returns: | Paraguay £2010.00 |
|
Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
| 1 | Sergio Romero | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Ezequiel Garay | Defender |
| 17 | Federico Fernández | Defender |
| 23 | Hugo Armando Campagnaro | Defender |
| 3 | M. Rojo | Defender |
| 7 | Ángel Di María | Midfielder |
| - | Fernando Gago | |
| 22 | Rodrigo Braña | Midfielder |
| 21 | Ezequiel Lavezzi | Striker |
| 9 | Gonzalo Higuaín | Striker |
| 10 | Lionel Messi | Striker |
| 12 | Mariano Gonzalo Andújar | Goalkeeper |
| - | Óscar Ustari | |
| 15 | Clemente Rodríguez | Defender |
| - | Leandro Desábato | |
| 4 | Pablo Zabaleta | Defender |
| - | Enzo Nicolás Pérez | |
| 8 | José Sosa | Midfielder |
| - | Lucas Rodrigo Biglia | Midfielder |
| - | Maxi Rodríguez | |
| 18 | Pablo Guiñazú | Midfielder |
| - | Hernán Barcos | |
| - | Rodrigo Palacio | Striker |
| 1 | J. Villar | Goalkeeper |
| - | Antolín Alcaraz | Defender |
| - | Iván Rodrigo Piris | Defender |
| 14 | P. da Silva | Defender |
| 16 | C. Riveros | Midfielder |
| - | R. Ortiz | Midfielder |
| - | Víctor Cáceres | Midfielder |
| - | Jonathan Fabbro | Midfielder |
| - | V. Ayala | Midfielder |
| - | M. Estigarribia | Midfielder |
| - | Roque Santa Cruz | Striker |
| 22 | A. Silva | Goalkeeper |
| 12 | Diego Daniel Barreto | Goalkeeper |
| - | C. Bonet | |
| - | D. Verón | |
| - | Miguel Angel Ramon Samudio | Defender |
| - | S. Candia | Defender |
| 5 | Fidencio Oviedo | Midfielder |
| 7 | Hernán Pérez | Midfielder |
| - | Julio Dos Santos | Midfielder |
| 10 | E. Benítez | Striker |
| 18 | Haedo Valdéz | Striker |
| - | Ó. Cardozo | Striker |
| Lionel Messi | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 10 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Who else could it be? 'La Pulga' has netted an incredible eight international goals so far this year and will be itching to add more to his tally. Playing in the three-man attack he says is his preferred way of playing, Lionel will be expected to lead by example and prove why he is considered the best player in the world.
| Jonathan Fabbro | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 0 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The big bet of Paraguay coach Pelusso, this creative forward has proved both with Guarani and Cerro Porteno that he has quality in spades to star with his adopted country. Watch out for Jonny at free-kicks, from which he boasts a prodigious ability to hit the net.
It will not be easy to break down a Paraguay team who will come to Cordoba looking for a point. Even with Aguero out though, Argentina's sheer strength of attack should prove the difference in the end, and a victory by one or two looks a good shout.
Results
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Gonzalo Higuaín Striker Real Madrid |
9 | 0 |
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Lionel Messi Striker Barcelona |
8 | 1 |
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Luis Suárez Striker Liverpool |
8 | 0 |
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Radamel Falcao Striker |
7 | 1 |
|
Felipe Caicedo Striker Lokomotiv |
5 | 3 |
