Peru vs Paraguay

Peru and Paraguay are set to trade tackles at the Estadio Monumental in an all-CONMEBOL international friendly.

Peru’s hopes of reaching back-to-back World Cup finals for the first time since 1982 suffered massive heartbreak as Australia defeated them 1-0 in the inter-confederation playoffs. Juan Reynoso’s men have since delivered a mixed bag of performances across two international friendlies (W1, L1), most recently dispatching North American minnows El Salvador 4-1. Before Mexico eked out a 1-0 win in Lima during September’s international break, ‘La Blanquirroja’ had been unbeaten in nine consecutive home matches (W6, D3), including a 2-0 humbling of Paraguay in a 2022 World Cup qualifier in March. Indeed, friendlies included, the Peruvians have run riot against their fellow South American rivals at home, beating them in the last seven home H2Hs, six of which featured a clean sheet.

On the other hand, Paraguay’s wait for their first World Cup appearance since 2010 has been extended for another four years, courtesy of their abysmal eighth-place finish in the CONMEBOL qualifying group (W3, D7, L8). On a more positive note, since a 4-1 thumping at the hands of Japan in their first international in the post-qualifying period, the Paraguayans have gone unbeaten in four straight matches (W2, D2), registering a shutout in each of the last three. Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s team toppled Mexico 1-0 on their most recent international travel to snap a dreadful run of ten winless games on foreign soil (D3, L7). But you’d have to go back to September/October 2017 for the last time they won successive away fixtures.