Argentina Look to Pull Themselves Up World Cup Qualifier Table

It’s make or break for Argentina Thursday night as they host fellow giant Brazil in the third World Cup Russia 2018 qualifier, as the home side tries to haul itself out of the bottom half of the table before qualification becomes nearly impossible.

Argentina are yet to win a game in the preliminary rounds, losing at home to Ecuador and scraping a draw with Paraguay. La Albiceleste have only ever missed one global championship, more than four decades ago.

Five-time World Cup winners Brazil have had a less than perfect run on the road to Russia, losing the opener to Chile. But wunderkid Neymar is back and in legendary form after a cracking goal-scoring run at Barcelona, while the misery for Argentina is compounded by having to cope without injured stars Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi.

Neither side will see a draw as an option as the single point would leave both in the lower half of of the table languishing alongside Venezuela and Bolivia, making qualification challenging.

Second-placed Ecuador will also face a nail-biting game hosting Uruguay, as the Andrean side looks for a third win without four of its key players. Coach Gustavo Quinteros has had to replace Antonio Valencia, Enner Valencia, Renato Ibarra and Michael Arroyo due to injury.

While table-leaders Uruguay are still without biter Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani makes his comeback after an international ban for reacting to provocation during the Copa America quarter final against Chile.

Colombia, falling behind in sixth place, will be looking to work their way up the table as they visit Chile, who have not conceded a point yet in the tournament.