World Cup qualifying predictions, betting odds and tips: Argentina can advance with time to spare

When to bet

Kick-offs from 5pm

Best bets

Argentina
Premier Sports 1, midnight Wednesday
1pt 5-4 Coral, Ladbrokes

Norway -1 on Asian handicap
5pm
1pt 27-25 bet365

Tuesday's World Cup qualifying predictions

Argentina need just one more point to book themselves a place at the 2026 World Cup and they clinch qualification in style by defeating arch rivals Brazil in Buenos Aires.

Lionel Scaloni's side have set the pace in South American qualifying since the completion of matchday three and are comfortably placed with a six-point cushion separating them from second-placed Ecuador.

The top six finishers are guaranteed automatic qualification and that is highly likely to include Brazil, who are third with five games remaining.

However, Brazil have registered only six wins from 13 matches, including Friday's 2-1 triumph at home to Colombia which was settled in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time by Vinicius Junior's superb curling strike.

The Samba stars have opened an eight-point gap to seventh-place Bolivia but head coach Dorival Junior will have to make at least four changes for the Argentina fixture as Gabriel and Bruno Guimaraes are serving one-match bans while Alisson and Gerson have departed the squad due to injuries.

Argentina also have a few selection issues with Nico Gonzalez serving a suspension and injured attackers Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala and Lautaro Martinez unable to take their place in the original squad. But they demonstrated their squad depth last week with a superb 1-0 victory away to Uruguay and can complete a double over Brazil, who they defeated 1-0 at the Maracana in November 2023.

Norway started their World Cup qualifying Group I campaign on Saturday with a 5-0 victory in Moldova and they can follow that up by defeating Israel in Hungary.

Playing home games on neutral territory seems to be having a negative impact for Israel, who faced Estonia in Debrecen on Saturday and needed Eli Dasa's 75th minute goal to claim a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Israel were unable to keep a clean sheet against a defensive-minded Estonia side who had blanked in their previous three matches and they are in danger of being swept aside by a potent Norwegian team featuring Premier League stars Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland.

Norway may be forced into a change at the back with Hoffenheim central defender Leo Ostigard rated doubtful due to an injury, but their potent attack, which also features Atletico Madrid forward Alexander Sorloth, should help them to run out comfortable victors.

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