Uruguay defender and team captain Diego Godin. (Photo : Reuters)
Powerhouse team Uruguay is scheduled to visit Bolivia at the Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz to open the CONMEBOL 2018 World Cup qualifying tournament on Thursday, October 8. Both squads are quarterfinalists in the recent Copa America held in Chile last June.
Bolivia was destroyed by Argentina, 0-7, in their preparatory international friendly match last September 5 at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas, as reported by ESPN.
Julio Cesar Baldivieso's men were overmatched by the star-studded Argentinian XI as world-renowned footballers Ezekiel Lavezzi, Sergio Aguero, and Lionel Messi each scored a double while Ángel Correa added another one near the end to complete the blowout exhibition win.
La Verde's World Cup qualifying campaign will be bolstered by mainstays Edward Zenteno, Rudy Cardozo, and Juan Carlos Arce.
Meanwhile, Los Charrúas will enter the competitions without its two best players, Barcelona's Luis Suarez and Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani, who are both still serving international suspensions because of separate incidents.
With that, Óscar Tabárez's side will rely on team captain Diego Godin to lead the young Uruguay team throughout the tournament.
La Celeste lost their last game, an international friendly versus Costa Rica, 0-1, at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San José last September 8, via Goal.
Uruguay is expected to bounce back and win this opener against lowly Bolivia even without their two top scorers.
The prediction is a 2-0 victory for Uruguay.
Bolivia starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Vaca; Zenteno, Eguino, Hurtado, Morales; Cardozo, Chumacero, Campos, Veizaga; Arce, Álvarez
Uruguay starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Muslera; Godin, Pereira, Cáceres, Giménez; Ríos, Rodríguez, González; Stuani, Rolán, Hernández
