No Argentina, no Chile, no Lionel Messi or Alexis Sanchez – that is the we-don't-want-it-to-happen possibility that is staring at both of these powerhouses as we head into the final third of this gripping South American round of qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Also read: Brazil vs Argentina highlights
As it stands, Chile are fourth in the table, with Argentina a place below them. If the qualification was done and dusted right now, Chile would be booking their flights to Russia, with Argentina getting ready to play in an inter-continental playoff.
The top four qualify automatically, with the fifth-placed side given a chance of doing so by winning the playoff.
Neither will want to go through the playoffs, so the plan will be to be in the top four come the end of the 18 matches. Having played 12 matches each, Brazil are leading the table on 27 points, with Uruguay in second, four points adrift.
Ecuador and Chile are tied on 20 points each, while Argentina have 19. Colombia, in sixth, are on 18 points, with Paraguay and Peru on 15 and 14. Bolivia and Venezuela seem to be out of the running, having managed just seven and five respectively.
Argentina host Chile in a must-win – or at the very least must-not-lose – World Cup qualifier on Thursday, with both teams looking to gain that momentum and the points that will push them further up the table, giving them a firmer grip of qualifying for the World Cup in 2018.
Messi, having come out of retirement, will not want to miss out on a chance of winning the elusive title – the one title that stops everyone from naming him alongside Pele and Diego Maradona – so expect this Argentina team to be fired up for this match.
Chile will feel the same as well, and with Alexis Sanchez proving his fitness by taking part in training, they will expect their superstars – Sanchez, Arturo Vidal and co. – to perform on the night in Buenos Aires.
Argentina vs Chile schedule: 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Date: Thursday, March 23.
Time: 8.30pm local time (7.30pm ET, 11.30pm GMT, 5am IST Friday).
Venue: Estadio El Monumental in Buenos Aires.
TV guide: India: Sony Six HD and Sony Six SD. Argentina and Chile: TYC Sports. Brazil: Spor TV2. Australia, Canada, Middle East, France, USA: Bein Sports. China: Tianjin and PPTV. Singapore: Eleven Sports.
