Ricardo Gareca faces one of his toughest challenges as Chile's manager ahead of their World Cup Qualifier clash against Argentina. The Chilean squad is coming off a goalless stalemate against Ecuador, where they dominated possession (60%) but struggled to convert chances despite firing 16 shots with only 2 finding the target.
"We've been working on our finishing," a source close to the Chilean camp might say. "Creating chances isn't our problem – it's putting them away."
The statistics paint a concerning picture for the home side. Gareca's men have managed just 10 shots on target across their last six matches, while conceding 8 goals during that same period.
Meanwhile, Argentina enters this fixture in devastating form after dismantling "Brazil" 4-1 in their previous qualifier. The reigning world champions were clinical with 7 of their 12 shots hitting the target, as Julián Alvarez, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, and Giuliano Simeone all found the net.
By the way, Argentina's attacking prowess has been remarkable recently – they've scored in each of their last six matches, netting an impressive 14 goals while conceding just 4.
The head-to-head record doesn't offer much comfort for Chilean fans either. La Roja has failed to defeat Argentina in their last six encounters, with Argentina winning three and drawing three. Their most recent meeting ended in a comprehensive 3-0 victory for Argentina, with Mac Allister and Alvarez again among the scorers.
Can Gareca devise a strategy to contain this free-scoring Argentina side? The odds certainly don't favor Chile, but football has a habit of producing surprises when you least expect them.
