Julián Alvarez has become a consistent threat for "Argentina" against "Chile," scoring in their last two World Cup qualifying encounters. The forward, who found the net in both Argentina's recent 3-0 victory and their 4-1 triumph over Brazil, will look to extend his scoring streak when the teams meet again.
Looking at the numbers, Argentina's offensive firepower has been impressive. They've scored in every one of their last six matches, tallying 14 goals while conceding just 4. Not bad for the world champions, right?
"Chile," meanwhile, enter the fixture following a goalless draw against Ecuador, where they dominated possession (60%) but struggled to convert chances. Despite firing 16 shots, only 2 hit the target.
"We need to improve our finishing," Ricardo Gareca's Chile squad must be thinking after managing just 10 shots on target across their last six outings.
Head-to-head statistics heavily favor Argentina. The teams have met six times since September 2019, with Argentina winning three matches and the other three ending in draws. Chile haven't managed a single victory during this stretch.
Their most recent encounter last September ended with a comfortable 3-0 win for Argentina, with Alexis Mac Allister, Alvarez, and Paulo Dybala all finding the back of the net. During that match, Argentina controlled 65% of possession and registered 8 shots on target from 16 attempts.
By the way, Mac Allister seems to enjoy playing against Chile. He also scored in Argentina's 4-1 dismantling of Brazil, along with Enzo Fernández and Giuliano Simeone.
With Chile's defense facing such a potent attack, can Gareca's men finally break their winless streak against the South American giants? The odds don't look promising.
