Argentina looking over shoulders

– Lionel Messi (right) and Argentina will seek to maintain the pressure on Chile with a victory over Venezuela tonight as South America’s 2018 World Cup qualifying race enters the home stretch.

A faltering campaign has left Argentina fifth in the standings with three games remaining, just outside the top four spots which guarantee automatic entry to next year’s finals in Russia.

It would still take a dramatic sequence of results for the unthinkable – a World Cup without Argentina and Messi – to become reality.

Even if Jorge Sampaoli’s side fail to lock up automatic qualification and finish fifth, they would still be favourites to qualify via a twoleg play-off against a team from Oceania, almost certain to be New Zealand.

Yet the gloom that has enveloped the Argentinian squad throughout the qualifiers means that little is being taken for granted ahead of tonight’s game at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

An uninspiring 0-0 draw with Uruguay in Montevideo last Thursday left Argentina level on 23 points with fourth-placed Chile, who lead on goal difference.

Sampaoli is expected to persist with the bulk of the team who started against Uruguay, with Messi leading a potent front three that features Paulo Dybala and Mauro Icardi. Javier Mascherano could return for the suspended Gabriel Mercado, while Ever Banega may replace Guido Pizarro.

Argentina were frustrated by a Uruguayan side which defended in depth and packed the midfield. And with Venezuela likely to use similar tactics, Sampaoli has urged his team to be more aggressive tonight. – AFP