Two sides in great form face off in World Cup 2022 Qualifying action on Wednesday, as Chile host Ecuador at the Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo!
Chile have now won three games on the bounce, to climb to fourth in CONMEBOL qualifying, while Ecuador continue to defy the odds and sit in third, after 13 qualifying games.
The hosts continue to rely on their experienced core, with Gary Medel, Mauricio Isla and Arturo Vidal still playing crucial roles.
Talismanic forward Alexis Sanchez, who leads the way in La Roja’s all-time appearance and scoring charts, has recently returned to the squad after an injury. He should lead the line again, after his winner last time out against Paraguay.
However, forward Ben Brereton, who has started life as a Chile international in fine fashion, with three goals in eight games, will miss this match through suspension.
After another strong performance in their last game against Venezuela, Ecuador could go into Wednesday’s game with an unchanged side. That would see Carlos Gruezo and Moises Caicedo featuring in the centre of midfield.
Felix Torres and Piero Hincapié kept a clean sheet in the last game. They should again be trusted to protect Alexander Domínguez in the Ecuador goal.
While Chile have more quality than their opponents on paper, Ecuador have over-performed in this campaign and have proved that they are difficult to beat.
With all things considered, and given both sides’ desire to stay in front of the chasing pack, we expect that these two outfits will share the spoils on Wednesday. Our prediction is more than 1.5 goals scored, in a 1-1 final score.
