CONMEBOL World Cup 2018 Qualifying Schedule: Dates, Live Stream and TV Info
Matchday 3 of CONMEBOL World Cup 2018 qualifying will have football fans across the globe giddy with excitement, as South American giants Argentina and Brazil go head-to-head in Buenos Aires and Copa America winners Chile host Colombia in Santiago.
Of the four favourites to qualify directly for the World Cup, only Chile have made a perfect start through two matches. Brazil currently sit in fifth place, which would see the team progress to the play-offs, while Argentina and Colombia would both fail to qualify for the tournament at this juncture.
With 16 matches left to play, all of that is sure to change, but Matchday 3 will play a big role in which of the top teams can build an early lead and likely cruise to qualification from there.
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With that in mind, we should be in for some fantastic clashes on Thursday and Friday. Here's a look at the schedule:
| Thursday, Nov. 12 | 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET | Bolivia | Venezuela | BeIN Sports USA | BeIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV |
| Thursday, Nov. 12 | 9 p.m. GMT/4 p.m. ET | Ecuador | Uruguay | BeIN Sports USA | BeIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV |
| Thursday, Nov. 12 | 11:30 p.m. GMT(6:30 p.m. ET | Chile | Colombia | BeIN Sports USA | BeIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV |
| Thursday, Nov. 12 | 12 p.m. GMT/7 p.m. ET | Argentina | Brazil | BeIN Sports USA | BeIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV |
| Friday, Nov. 13 | 2:15 a.m. GMT (next day)/9:15 p.m. ET | Peru | Paraguay | BeIN Sports USA | BeIN Sports Connect, Fubo TV |
Preview
Fans of the beautiful game are, undoubtedly, excited to see eternal rivals Argentina and Brazil clash once again, and even pundits like Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated are finding it hard to hide their anticipation:
Games between these two teams usually promise beautiful, attacking football with plenty of technical skills and tons of goals. In all likelihood, Thursday's match will provide none of that.
Three of Argentina's top attacking options will miss the match through injury―Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez―and after gaining just a single point from their first two matches, the hosts will be determined to grab some kind of result against Brazil.
In all likelihood, that will lead to a physical battle in midfield, and more harsh tackles and rough play than we've become used to seeing from these sides.
Peter Coates of the Independent also expects to see a gritty, tough match, with Brazil boss Dunga preparing his team for just that against Gerardo Martino's Argentina.
Coates wrote:
"Dunga will be relieved to have the star of Brazilian football (Neymar) available as the 23-year-old remarkably narrows in on Zico and Romario in the all-time scoring charts but, like Martino, the dour head coach is yet to convince the Brazilian press and supporters.
By the 52-year-old’s own admission this week, his side needs to “improve in every way” but the likelihood on Thursday is that Brazil will be set up in the image of himself—battle-hardened and efficient rather than beautiful.
Perhaps some way down the line, Dunga can establish more of an expansive Brazil but in the Monumental that is unlikely to happen. Almost in preparation for this, Dunga ominously told reporters: “Whenever Brazil plays Argentina, it is a war.”
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Barcelona star Neymar returns from suspension to give the visitors a massive boost in attack, while the in-form Gonzalo Higuain will likely lead the line for the Albiceleste.
The 27-year-old has been in phenomenal form for Napoli, scoring or providing an assist in eight of his last nine matches, per WhoScored.com. If ever there was a time for him to prove he can extend that success to the international level, it would be now, with Messi, Aguero and Tevez sidelined.
Other players to look out for are Chelsea's Willian, who is playing like a man possessed and has suddenly found his scoring touch, and Barcelona's Javier Mascherano, who will play an important role in trying to slow down the Brazilian attack.
Colombia have missed star midfielder James Rodriguez and were thoroughly outplayed by Uruguay without him last month, so a big performance is needed from the Real Madrid man.
Unfortunately for Rodriguez, his side faces a trip to Santiago to take on in-form Chile, who have looked close to unbeatable in 2015.
The Colombians will host Argentina on Matchday 4 and could be in real danger of falling too far behind in the race for World Cup qualification.
Both Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal, Chile's two biggest stars, have not been in the best of form of late, but the Copa America winners have far more skilled players than just those two.
Keep an eye out for Eduardo Vargas, who always seems to step up when his country needs him most and has scored in every qualifier so far.
Thursday's two top clashes will start late in the evening, but fans looking to get in the mood for those games can tune into another tantalising matchup a few hours earlier, when Uruguay visit Ecuador.
Both have enjoyed a perfect start to qualifying and lead the standings, so there will be plenty at stake when they meet in Quito.
