Sabasports Match Preview
2026 CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying: Uraguay vs Argentina
Kickoff Time: 2025-03-22 07:30 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
Earlier, Uruguay announced its roster for the upcoming international match window, led by Federico Valverde, with Ronald Araujo, Jose Gimenez, Rodrigo Bentancur, Manuel Ugarte Ribeiro, and Darwin Nunez also included. Under Marcelo Bielsa’s guidance, Uruguay has performed quite well, currently sitting second in the South American qualifying standings with a record of five wins, five draws, and two losses. Since Bielsa took charge, there has been a noticeable improvement in Uruguay’s play, particularly in their fast transitions and offense-defense shifts, which is mainly reflected in their off-the-ball movement and support during these transitions. Often, Uruguay’s counterattacks are spearheaded by four players: one holding the ball, one making a late run from behind, and two teammates providing screens. By using the first three players to draw in the opposing defense, the fourth player can make a decisive run into the defensive line’s depth, allowing for quick penetrations and lethal strikes. The number of players Uruguay commits to attacks and their success in making supportive runs are Bielsa’s key strategies.
On the Argentina side, Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala, and Gonzalo Montiel have all withdrawn from the roster for this international match window due to injuries, which is undoubtedly a significant blow for the team. Statistics show that Argentina’s win rate drops by 42% when Messi is sidelined. As Argentine legend Juan Roman Riquelme said, “When Messi is injured, Argentina is just an ordinary team, and his presence itself is a tactic.” Furthermore, Messi’s absence forces head coach Lionel Scaloni to make some decisions, with Lautaro Martinez likely to start alongside Julian Alvarez against Uruguay. As for other positions, Argentina’s lineup is expected to continue with configurations used during the Qatar World Cup. Currently, Argentina ranks first in the South American qualifiers with a record of eight wins, one draw, and three losses, and as long as they don’t make too many mistakes in the final rounds, qualifying for the World Cup shouldn’t be an issue.
In their first encounter, Uruguay defeated Argentina 2-0 away. Additionally, facing an Argentina without Messi means Uruguay no longer has to worry about how to limit his influence. Given these circumstances, Uruguay holds an advantage both in terms of their squad and their mentality. Therefore, it would be reasonable to expect Uruguay to secure points due to their home advantage in this match.
Uruguay’s Last 5 Games: DWDLD
24-11-20 Brazil 1-1 Uruguay
24-11-16 Uruguay 3-2 Colombia
24-10-16 Uruguay 0-0 Ecuador
24-10-12 Peru 1-0 Uruguay
24-09-11 Venezuela 0-0 Uruguay
Argentina’s Last 5 Games: WLWDL
24-11-20 Argentina 1-0 Peru
24-11-15 Paraguay 2-1 Argentina
24-10-16 Argentina 6-0 Bolivia
24-10-11 Venezuela 1-1 Argentina
24-09-11 Colombia 2-1 Argentina
Head To Head Record:
23-11-17 Argentina 0-2 Uruguay
21-11-13 Uruguay 0-1 Argentina
21-10-11 Argentina 3-0 Uruguay
21-06-19 Argentina 1-0 Uruguay
10-11-19 Argentina 2-2 Uruguay
Prediction: Uruguay to win or Draw