World champions Argentina will be bidding to return to winning ways when they welcome Peru for their latest 2026 World Cup qualification fixture on Tuesday night.
Lionel Scaloni's side, who are top of the section, will enter the match off the back of a shock 2-1 loss to Paraguay, while ninth-placed Peru drew 0-0 with basement team Chile in their last game.
Match preview
© Imago
Argentina took the lead in the 11th minute of their clash with Paraguay, with Lautaro Martinez on the scoresheet, but the home side answered back to record a 2-1 victory and make it three losses in the section for the reigning world champions.
The White and Sky Blues boast a record of seven wins, one draw and three defeats from their 11 games in the group to collect 22 points, which has left them three points clear of second-placed Uruguay and five ahead of fourth-placed Brazil.
Scaloni's team have scored 20 times in their 11 matches, with six of those coming from Lionel Messi, and La Seleccion, who famously won the 2022 World Cup, will certainly be among the favourites to triumph at the 2026 competition.
Argentina have the chance to bounce back quickly against Peru in their final match of 2024, before returning to action next March with a huge double-header against Uruguay and Brazil.
The White and Sky Blues have won 37 and lost just seven of their previous 58 matches with Peru in all competitions, including victories in the last four games between the two South American countries.
![Peru head coach Jorge Fossati on June 25, 2024 [IMAGO]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/26/jorge-fossati.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Peru head coach Jorge Fossati on June 25, 2024 [IMAGO]")
© Imago
Peru will enter this match off the back of a goalless draw with Chile, which has left them in ninth spot in the table on seven points, boasting a record of one win, four draws and six losses from 11 games.
The White and Reds are five points behind seventh-placed Venezuela and nine from Paraguay in sixth, while goals have been a serious problem in the group, only finding the back of the net on three occasions in their 11 matches.
Jorge Fossati's side did record a famous 1-0 victory over Uruguay last month, but they were then beaten 4-0 by Brazil and will certainly be wary of a backlash from Argentina considering that Scaloni's team were beaten last time out.
La Blanquirroja did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup, with their last appearance at the competition coming in 2018, when they were eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.
Peru have previously made the quarter-finals of two World Cups, though, with that occurring in 1970 and 1978, and there is enough quality in their squad to cause Argentina problems in this match.
Team News
© Imago
Argentina will be without the services of Cristian Romero on Tuesday, with the Tottenham Hotspur centre-back missing due to the foot injury which forced him off the field against Paraguay.
Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez was also forced to pull out of the squad due to an issue related to his hip and his back, so Argentina have issues in the middle of their defence.
Leonardo Balerdi is therefore in line to win his fifth cap alongside Nicolas Otamendi, but there are not expected to be any further changes, with Man United's Alejandro Garnacho set to remain on the bench.
Messi will take to the field for the 191st time in an Argentina shirt, while Julian Alvarez should feature in a wide area, with the 24-year-old looking to add to his 11 goals for the national side.
As for Peru, no injuries have been reported from their clash with Chile last time out, and it would therefore not be a surprise to see the same XI take to the field for this match.
Paolo Guerrero's fitness will need to be assessed, with the forward making his 123rd appearance for his country at the age of 40 last time out, and Gianluca Lapadula will be under consideration to start.
Luis Advincula is again likely to feature in a wing-back area for Peru in this contest, while Sergio Pena is in line for another start in the middle of midfield, with his substitution against Chile a tactical decision rather than a fitness problem.
Argentina possible starting lineup:
E Martinez; Molina, Balerdi, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Fernandez; Messi, Mac Allister, Alvarez; L Martinez
Peru possible starting lineup:
Caceda; Corzo, Araujo, Callens; Polo, Sonne, Cartagena, Pena, Advincula; Guerrero, Valera
We say: Argentina 2-0 Peru
Peru's lack of goals in the section is a real concern, and we just cannot see the visitors damaging Argentina here. We are not expecting a high-scoring contest on Tuesday night, but the World Cup holders will be determined to bounce back, and we are backing them to emerge victorious with a routine two-goal success.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
Argentina
Uruguay
Ecuador
Colombia
Brazil
Paraguay
Bolivia
Venezuela
Chile
Peru
