Argentina VS Venezuela Match Prediction
2019-03-22
20:00:00
Argentina
VS
Venezuela
Our Prediction Tip
Argentina will win this match.
2019-03-2220:00:00 Argentina will win this match.
Venezuela’s only win in 24 previous matches against Argentina was in a World Cup qualifier in October 2011. Their two most recent meetings ended in the only two draws ever between the teams, however – Juanpi and Josef Martinez’s goals cancelled out late on by Lucas Pratto and Nicolas Otamendi the last time they met in Venezuela, while Argentina needed an own goal, after Jhon Murillo’s strike, to draw 1-1 in Buenos Aires in 2017’s reverse fixture.
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Lionel Messi’s return to the international fray ahead of this match has dominated the headlines and the Argentine maestro can ensure 2019 starts with no dramas for his country.
Clean sheets in every match except for their defeat to Brazil since the World Cup show they have recaptured their best defensive form, while at the other end Messi will lead the attack.
Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain remain exiled, while Angel di Maria misses out injured but there is still strength in depth in the shape of Paulo Dybala, for example, and Angel Correa.
It should be far too much for Venezuela, even if South America’s least-fancied side managed to draw twice with Argentina in the most recent World Cup qualifying campaign.
For their part, Salomon Rondon has been in good form for Newcastle at club level and they drew their last two friendlies as a nation with Japan and Iran.
But Argentina will expect a comfortable win from this one as they bid to earn a big morale boost ahead of the summer’s Copa America.
With Messi back in action, it would be a surprise if this match ended any other way.
It is no surprise to see Argentina are huge favourites to beat Venezuela, with Bet365, Ladbrokes, Betfair, Betway and 10Bet all offering 1/4 on an Argentina win in Madrid.
With goals expected from the Argentineans, over 2.5 in the match returns 8/11 with Betfair, while a winning margin of three goals is 9/2 with Bet365, Betfair and Paddy Power.
Argentina have kept clean sheets in five of their last six games and you can bet against both teams to score at 8/13 with Ladbrokes. An Argentina win to nil is 10/11 with Ladbrokes, Betfair and Paddy Power.
Again, unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is favourite to score on his return to the international scene too – he is 8/13 with Ladbrokes. Paulo Dybala scored last time out, meanwhile, and could be with a shout at 29/20 with 888sport.
Lionel Messi can lead Argentina to a comfortable win in his first international appearance since the World Cup.
Lionel Messi returns to the international fold for the first time since the World Cup, with Lionel Scaloni already confirming he will face Venezuela. Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain remain in international exile, meanwhile, despite Messi’s return. Nicolas Otamendi and Angel di Maria, two of the more experienced players in the initial squad selection, have had to drop out due to injury.
Lionel Messi – The Argentine maestro needs no introduction as he prepares for his 129th international appearance, having scored 65 goals in the other 128.
Paulo Dybala – Broke his international duck last time out and the Juventus forward has scored and assisted in their charge to the title this season too.
Manuel Lanzini – With Angel di Maria out, fit-again Lanzini has the chance to show what he can do when it comes to creativity.
Back-to-back wins against Mexico took Argentina to five clean sheets in six matches since their World Cup last-16 defeat to France. The only goal they have conceded saw them lose 1-0 to Brazil in Saudi Arabia. Last time out, Ramiro Funes Mori and an own goal earned Argentina a 2-0 victory in Cordona, before Mauro Icardi and Paulo Dybala netted in Mendoza in another 2-0 triumph.
Andres Ponce, a goalscorer in some recent friendlies, misses out on this squad – one of six players missing from the Venezuela squad which drew with Japan and Iran in Doha, Qatar. Of those, Akhmat Grozny defender Wilker Angel is the most experienced.
Salomon Rondon – Good goalscoring form this season for Newcastle and 21 goals in 70 appearances for Venezuela.
Tomas Rincon – The Torino midfielder captains the team and is their most-capped player too, with 91 appearances.
Jhon Chancellor – Has the unenviable task of leading the Venezuelan defence against Messi and co.
Venezuela have only lost one of their last five matches and that was an unofficial friendly with the Basque Country in October. Since then, Luis Mago and Andres Ponce scored in a 2-0 win against the UAE in Barcelona before November’s two 1-1 draws against Japan and Iran. Tomas Rincon’s penalty earned a late draw in the former, while Darwin Machis opened the scoring in the latter.
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