Uruguay will face Paraguay at the Estadio Centenario on Saturday for the seventh round of South American World Cup qualifying. Currently, Uruguay is positioned second in the standings with 13 points, while Paraguay is in seventh place, tied with Chile for fifth place, both with five points.
After a disappointing exit from the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, a fate they hadn’t faced since 2002, Uruguay parted ways with manager Diego Alonso and appointed Marcelo Bielsa in May 2023. Bielsa has significantly impacted the team, losing only five of his 19 matches in charge across all competitions and leading Uruguay to a third-place finish at the 2024 Copa America.
In the Copa America, Uruguay won all their group-stage matches and edged past Brazil on penalties in the quarterfinals. Despite dominating possession in the semifinals, they lost 1-0 to Colombia. They secured third place with a narrow penalty shootout victory over Canada, with Luis Suarez scoring a crucial equalizer in the 92nd minute to force the shootout, which Uruguay won 4-2.
Uruguay vs. Paraguay: Team Form
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As they approach matchdays seven and eight of the World Cup qualifiers, Bielsa’s team is in a strong position, having accumulated 13 points from their first six matches. They will aim to strengthen their position with positive results in the upcoming fixtures.
Paraguay, on the other hand, enters the match low on morale after a poor Copa America campaign, where they were eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 2016. They lost to Colombia (2-1), Brazil (4-1), and Costa Rica (2-1), finishing last in their group without securing any points, which led to the dismissal of manager Daniel Oscar Garnero.
Gustavo Alfaro has taken over as manager and will be making his debut in this role against Uruguay on Saturday. He will be hoping to secure Paraguay’s first win over Uruguay since 2007.
Team News
Luis Suarez, Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer, has announced his retirement from international football, making this match his final appearance for his country, and he is expected to start.
Uruguay will be missing several key players due to suspensions and injuries, including Darwin Nunez, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ronald Araujo, Jose Maria Gimenez, and Mathias Olivera, all banned for the next five international matches due to incidents at the Copa America. Additionally, Matias Vina, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, Federico Vinas, and Nicolas de la Cruz are sidelined with injuries.
For Paraguay, Antonio Sanabria, the team’s sole goal scorer in their qualifying campaign so far, is set to lead the attack. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Julio Enciso is likely to start alongside Miguel Almiron and Ramon Sosa in the attacking midfield.
Uruguay vs. Paraguay: Probable Starting XI
Uruguay: Rochet; Nandez, Caceres, Bueno, Saracchi; Valverde, Ugarte; Pellistri, Torres, Araujo; Suarez
Paraguay: Morinigo; Velazquez, Balbuena, Alderete, Espinoza; Villasanti, Bobadilla; Almiron, Enciso, Sosa; Sanabria
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