Matches to Watch: CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying ramps up
While several nations embark on the international window with a view toward tinkering and assessing personnel ahead of the European Championship, others will maintain a similar intention, albeit to take the next step in World Cup qualifying. Four of South America's powerhouses converge in a tasty pair of matchups, looking to shore up their credentials as the road to Russia marches on. Here's a preview of what lies ahead.
Lionel Messi is set to make his first cameo for Argentina in World Cup qualifying.
Chile (5) vs Argentina (2), 7:30 pm ET on Thursday, March 24 (beIn)
The cream of the crop. La Roja and La Albiceleste meet in a lip-smacking rematch of last summer's Copa America final in Santiago's National stadium. Only this time, a scoreless outcome will likely not do either team any good. The region's four automatic slots at the 2018 World Cup, at present, are occupied by Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. Translation: three points is a must.
For Chile, Argentine-born head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi begins his reign with a tough ask against his native country in the wake of Jorge Sampaoli's contentious resignation. Should Pizzi outlast the 18-match marathon that is World Cup qualifying, he'll be tasked with devising a sound, defensive strategy that was so much the linchpin of Chile's Copa America success in 2015, thanks in large part to Charles Aranguiz. After expertly quelling the ominous threat of Lionel Messi in last year's final, the 26-year-old went down with an Achilles injury in August ahead of his debut with Bayer Leverkusen. Who will fill his void?
Speaking of Messi... After sitting out the first four qualifying matches through injury, Gerardo Martino will be licking his lips at the thought of having his star, attacking cast in tow. Throw in Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and a seemingly unstoppable Gonzalo Higuain -- in Serie A, at least -- Argentina's amalgamation of firepower should, barring any other setbacks, put them in pole position to add to their region-low two goals and return to the win column.
Luis Suarez makes his return to the Uruguay squad following a 9-match ban.
Brazil (6) vs Uruguay (11), 8:45pm ET on Friday, March 25
Well, well, well. It's been 21 months since Luis Suarez etched his name into World Cup notoriety after chomping at Giorgio Chiellini in Natal, but the Barcelona talisman is at last permitted to return to Uruguay. His nine-game suspension (official competition only) fittingly draws to a close as Oscar Tabarez's side butt heads with Dunga's Brazil in Recife.
Without Suarez, Uruguay have fared surprisingly well in qualifying. Despite falling to current leaders Ecuador, they brushed aside Bolivia, Chile and Colombia in rather comfortable fashion, by a combined 8-0 score. Even Diego Godin was in amongst the goals, picking up the slack with three of his own. Tabarez will have to make do without Godin and fellow Atletico Madrid teammate Jose Gimenez, however, who picked up muscle injuries and were forced to withdraw from the squad.
Brazil, meanwhile, are just two points shy of their opposite number in the standings, sitting at 2-1-1. Like Messi and to a certain extent Suarez, Neymar missed out on the start of the qualifying push, albeit through suspension, failing to net in his return in the Selecao's draw against Argentina and victory over lowly Peru. With Suarez across from him -- and a burger on the line -- you'd expect Neymar to pull no punches and return to his natural goalscoring form.
*FIFA world ranking in parentheses
