Argentina vs Uruguay Predictions & Picks - Argentina backed for tight win over Uruguay in first match since Messi's retirement
- Argentina's last two wins over Uruguay have been in 1-0 victories
- Argentina have won their last three matches
- Preview, stats & head to head
By Ben Darvill •
Updated:
Argentina vs Uruguay Predictions & Picks
In a landmark game for Argentina, they will take to the field for the first time since the retirement of Lionel Messi, with Uruguay keen to ensure that a new era for their rivals starts in defeat.
- Argentina's last two wins over Uruguay have been with 1-0 scorelines
Head To Head
Across their last 10 meetings, Argentina have won six times, Uruguay have won twice and two games have ended as draws.
Argentina Form
Playing without Lionel Messi is something every Argentina fan will have feared having to come to terms with, but here we are. Their greatest ever player will be a mere spectator for their clash with Uruguay as Argentina look to hit the ground running following his retirement.
Argentina arrive having won each of their three matches since their World Cup final failure, with dismissive wins over Bolivia (4-0), Burkina Faso (7-0) and Benin (3-0). Admittedly, the quality of their opponents have hardly been high, but they have at least won comfortably.
Their last two wins over Uruguay have been with a scoreline of 1-0. Interestingly, of their last six wins over Uruguay, five have been in a 1-0 victory. While I do not predict a particularly pretty game in this one as Argentina begin the post-Messi era with a scrappy win, I do at least tip them to take the bragging rights.
Uruguay Form
Uruguay are still trying to build following their woeful World Cup campaign as they were eliminated in the group-stage after failing to secure a single win.
Their poor results against Saudi Arabia (1-1), Cape Verde (1-1) and Spain (0-1) displayed a side that was having huge trouble scoring goals and keeping them out of their own net. While issues at the back remain, they have been scoring goals after beating South Korea (4-1) and India (6-1).
However, while South Korea are a solid side, India are hardly in the upper-echelon of the game. Winning games and scoring goals is important for confidence, but Uruguay will know that they face an opponent that will not likely afford them the same sort of time and space as India did.
A scrappy game between two sides searching for the best way forward will likely ensue, and I predict it is one that Uruguay will slump to a defeat in.
Verdict
I am backing Argentina to beat Uruguay in a 1-0 win that sees the former win their first game since Messi's retirement.
Ben Darvill
Ben is a sports journalist and provides ExpertPicks with weekly soccer tips from the MLS and European league.
With a degree in English and Creative Writing, Ben has been able to turn his passion for sport and writing into a successful career as a tipster of a wide range of sports.
He previews the pick of the MLS action every week and is the face behind our soccer parlays.
He previews the pick of the MLS action every week and is the face behind our soccer parlays.