IT'S a big night in South America and Argentina are looking to equal a record run of 26 matches and book their Brazil ticket by winning in Paraguay.
Colombia and Argentina are level at the top and Colombia can clinch their spot with a draw against Uruguay in Montevideo.
Skipper Messi and Man City striker Aguero missed the 2-1 friendly win over Italy in Rome last month but will be in the starting line-up and should give Argentina the firepower needed to record a win.
It's worth noting Argentina could secure a top-four spot before kick-off depending on other results but I'm sure they'll want to celebrate qualification with a victory.
Coach Alejandro Sabella is without left-back Marcos Rojo, banned striker Gonzalo Higuain and suspended midfielder Javier Mascherano.
But he welcomes back Fernando Gago whose midfield playmaking allows Messi the freedom to play just behind the strikers where he does most damage.
Paraguay will be missing a finals place for the first time since 1994 and as a result several Under-20 stars have been promoted to the full squad and they responded well with a 4-0 defeat of Bolivia 4-0 last week.
But Argentina are a step up and you can have a tempting 4-5 with Paddy Power and William Hill while the likes of Coral and bet365 are as short as 8-11.
Messi might score first – he might not – but he'll be well backed and best price I can see is 4-1 at Ladbrokes.
Uruguay have bounced back from their 2012 slump and are on course to at least reach the finals via the playoff for finishing fifth.
They face Colombia without suspended central defenders Diego Lugano and Diego Godin and injured left-back Martin Caceres as well as star striker Diego Forlan.
Colombia's 1-0 win over Ecuador in Barranquilla on Friday ensured they would at least reach the play-offs to make the finals for the first time since France 98. Uruguay are 23-10 favourites at BetVictor but it's a tough one to call.
However, with strikers such as Luis Suarez, Radamel Falcao, Edinson Cavani and Jackson Martinez on show you have to fancy goals and both to score pays an appealing 1-1 at Ladbrokes.
Fourth-placed Ecuador, who play their home games at 2800 metres in Quito, face knocked out Bolivia who also play at altitude in La Paz. Ecuador are hot favourites at 13-10 with William Hill.
Venezuela, who have never been to the finals, and Peru, last there at Spain 82, clash in Puerto La Cruz with both needing to win to stay in the hunt.
Recommended Bets
Messi to score first
(4-1, Ladbrokes)
Argentina (Wed, 2.40am)
(4-5, Paddy Power, William Hill)
Uruguay v Colombia both to score (11pm)
(1-1, Ladbrokes)
World Cup 2022 Coverage
- What's coming up? View a list of upcoming World Cup Fixtures.
- Missed a match? Check out our World Cup Results for all the latest full-time goals.
- Think you know who will win outright? Then View our World Cup Odds comparison tables from top UK bookmakers.
- Betting Offer: We have collected world cup betting offers all in one place so you don't have to.
- Group by Group Betting Tips; Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H.
- World Cup Betting Tips; Golden Boot, Golden Glove, Group Stage Acca, Dark Horses and Outright Winners
- Highbet: Sportsbook and online casino with 30+ sports, 100's of betting markets and competitive betting odds.
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
As a Spurs fan it would be nice to see Lamela get in on the action, give him something to do before saturday :-)
Just watched the styllian petrov game on bt sport.
1st up, well done them for showing it.
Ive no connections with celtic, but have to say what a heartwarming tribute it was.
Its good when football puts the welfare of one of its own before financial gain to stage such an event.
Well done celtic, their fans and the players for giving their time.
For gods sake, we moan hear about losing a few quid, but compared with what styllian is dealing with, it puts things firmly in perspective.
Keep fighting big fella,
Keep fighting…..
badjasper, big coverage in the Record today. It’s something Celtic – and Rangers – do well is these charity games. The clubs and fans certainly look after players who have served them well and I don’t think there’s many more deserving of that tribute than Petrov.
Japan to beat ghana reserves 8-11
Luxombourg v n.ireland under 2.5.
macedonia v scotland under 2.5
Usa v mexico under 2.5.
Btts
wales 9-10
austria 5-6
Norway 19-20
Romania 5-6
Uruguay 8-11
Argentina and Uruguay/Colombia BTTS.. Thanks mr. F
Missed a few of the kick-offs tonight, Mr F, but I’ll be on a Bulgaria, Italy and Argentina win treble!
. . .
I thought this was an appropriate place to post the Brazil Serie B games for anyone looking at a S American flutter tonight.
As well as the internationals, there’s a fairly full programme of matches on this evening in Brazil that may offer an alternative pick or two…
Serie B – Brazil (Tonight)
Guaratingueta v Avai
KO 8.20pm
Guaratingueta have won 4 of last 6 at home – the two other games ending in draws against Palmeiras (top away side and top of league) and the thoroughly unpredictable Figueirense, who’ve outscored all but Palmeiras this season, but have conceded more than anyone. (Away, Guaratingueta have lost all five games since 20th July.)
Avai haven’t lost in 10 games, and away, that’s meant 2 wins and two draws.
It’s very tough to call as W-D-W, though I’m tempted to go for the home at the odds, but I think a better option is BTTS. Guaratingueta have scored in every one of their 9 home games so far, but have conceded in most – notably, against even ABC, the new worst team on the planet (Away P11 W0 D1 L10 F5 A25).
Avai have been able to knock them in against the more open sides away, and have scored in 4 of their last 5 aways, the exception being against Boa, who, like their namesakes in the animal kingdom, like to keep it tight.
Both Teams To Score is 8/11
Oeste v Chapecoense
KO 8.20pm
Oeste’s home record isn’t bad. P10 W5 D2 L3 F11 A10. That’s 14th best. However, in the five match form, they’re second-bottom. W1 D1 L3 F6 A12. You can add to that that in their last five homes, they’ve won 3, but only against teams ranking in the bottom 8 away sides. They’ve also dropped home points against ABC – 20th away, mentioned above – with a draw, and have lost 0-2 to Joinville, third best away.
Chapecoense are second-best away in this league. P10 W6 D2 L2 F15 A8. That’s solid against all but the best, which they demostrated last week with a draw away at Palmeiras – top overall, second-best home. Their two away defeats have come against better sides than Oeste.
This looks like an away: it’s 11/10.
Sao Caetano v Parana
KO 8.20pm
This is the one that immediately shouts out to be on.
Sao Caetano are bottom of the 5 match form: W1 D0 L4 F6 A8.
Parana are top: W4 D1 L0 F11 A2
Sao are second-bottom of the league overall, and fourth-bottom home. However, they have won 3 of their last five at home. One of those wins, inevitably, was against ABC, but the other two were against unpredictable Sport Recife (9th away) and ASA (14th). But Parana are a cut above those sides.
Parana, I said last time, are nothing like as good away as they are at home. That’s true. At home they’re unstoppable, but last time out they turned that home form into a 3-0 win away at Icasa, who were on a hot seam of form themselves.
Parana have overall only lost once in the last ten – away at Palmeiras.
Sao Caetano haven’t beaten Parana since 2008, and they’ve both been in this league every season since – that said, Parana have only won the away fixture in that period once – but Parana’s push out of this league looks well under way. Sao may be one of only two teams to take points off Parana so far this season at home, but we should expect Parana to give payback tonight.
The away is 13/10. That looks a standout – but… this is Brazil!
Paysandu v Ceara
KO 11pm
I’ll leave aside the W-D-W considerations, because that looks a tough call, despite Ceara not having won away yet this season, because Paysandu just can’t be 100% trusted to capitalise.
For me, this is BTTS.
Paysandu have scored in 9 out of 10 home matches and conceded in 7 of 10. Meanwhile, Ceara have scored away in their last four and in their last 5 matches, they’re F10 A6.
BTTS is 8/11
That’s a fourfold paying at around 14.4
. . .
For the night owls!
I reckon there’s also three fairly straight-forward home wins in the late games, kicking off at 11pm, at Icasa 8/11, Joinville 4/7 and Palmeiras 1/3, offering a treble which pays at just over 3.6, but the rationale should be pretty clear from a quick look at the stats/form.
. . .
Good luck tonight whatever you’re on, everybody!
guaranteed to be 0-0 ht Uruguay Columbia since av got over 1.0 ht
Woke up to a very healthy profit! Had £187 on messi to score first which returned £748 and also had Argentina race to 2 goals at evens with £100 stake! Very happy!