Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal (#8). (Photo : Getty Images)
Bottom half squad Paraguay (2-1-3, 9 points) is scheduled to clash with the reigning Copa America Centenario champions Chile (3-2-1, 10 points) in a 2018 FIFA World Cup CONMEBOL qualifiers encounter at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Paraguay's capital city of Asunción on Sep. 1, Thursday.
Paraguay is currently at the seventh spot of the 10-team CONMEBOL table, tied on points with Brazil but has a lesser goal difference of +1 to the Seleção's +3.
The team is now coached by Francisco "Chiqui" Arce, who replaced Argentinian Ramon Diaz on Aug. 1. Diaz resigned from his post in June after La Albirroja's poor showing in the Copa America Centenario where they placed last in Group A behind the United States, Colombia, and Costa Rica, thus getting eliminated in the group stage.
Their last match in the qualifiers is a 2-2 draw with Brazil also at their home field in Asunción on Mar. 29, Goal reported.
Paraguay stormed Brazil with a two-point lead in the first half with goals by Dario Lezcano and Edgar Benitez at the 40th and 49th minutes. However, the Brazilians were able to equalize as Ricardo Oliveira scored at the 79th and Dani Alves leveled the count during injury time.
Meanwhile, Chile is looking sharp at the moment with new head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi, who replaced Jorge Sampaoli after resigning from his post last January to coach La Liga club Sevilla.
Pizzi had been successful this summer, leading La Roja to win the 2016 Copa America Centenario title over high-profile team Argentina on penalties.
The team still has their core of Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez, team captain Gary Medel, and Eduardo Vargas and so they are the clear favorites in this meeting with Paraguay.
Chile's last game in this tourney was a 4-1 romp of lowly squad Venezuela at the Estadio Agustín Tovar in Barinas also on Mar. 29, as per Daily Mail Online.
Vidal and striker Mauricio Pinilla each scored braces during the match en route to the team's four-goal haul.
The predicted result is a 2-0 victory for Chile.
Paraguay starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Villar; Da Silva, Gomez, Aguilar, Valdez; Romero, Ortigoza, Riveros, Ayala; Lezcano, Benitez
Chile starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Pinto; Isla, Medel, Mena, Albornoz; Beausejour, Vidal, Fernandez; Orellana, Pinilla, Sanchez
