Paraguay eye direct World Cup spot against Ecuador | OneFootball

They face off at 20:30 in Asunción for the 17th matchday of the South American Qualifiers towards the 2026 World Cup.

The Albirroja hosts Ecuador this Thursday from 20:30 in Asunción for the 17th matchday of the South American Qualifiers towards the 2026 World Cup. The team led by Gustavo Alfaro needs only a draw to secure its place in the next World Cup.

The Defensores del Chaco stadium will be the setting for a night that could go down in history for Paraguayan football. With 24 points in the standings, Paraguay is one step away from securing its ticket to the 2026 World Cup after 15 years of absence, as their last participation was in South Africa 2010. The team led by Gustavo Alfaro arrives after a 1-0 loss to Brazil in the previous matchday, but maintains confidence thanks to its solid home performance and the support of its fans.

The path will not be easy: the Albirroja faces significant absences due to injuries, including Isidro Pitta, Ronaldo Dejesús, Mathías Villasanti, Julio Enciso, and Fabián Balbuena. To compensate for the absences, Alfaro surprised by calling up Ronaldo Martínez from Platense for the first time, who might get some minutes in this decisive match. If they achieve qualification, it is not ruled out that the Paraguayan Government may declare a national holiday in recognition of the feat.

Meanwhile, Ecuador arrives already qualified and with the peace of mind of having secured their spot in the previous matchday. The team led by Félix Sánchez Bas has a positive streak and has not lost since September 2024. Although goalless draws have occurred in three of their recent matches, including games against Peru and Uruguay, it was enough to achieve their goal. However, they will not be able to count on Alan Franco, who was sent off in the last match.

The challenge for La Tri will be to try to win for the first time in Asunción in a Qualifiers match, something they have never achieved in history. Despite not playing for anything in terms of qualification, the team will seek to close their campaign with a victory before hosting Argentina in the final matchday. The night promises to be vibrant: the Albirroja is going for the celebration, and the Ecuadorians will try to spoil it.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.