Preview: Peru vs. Chile - prediction, team news, lineups

Peru and Chile will face off at the Estadio Nacional de Lima on Thursday, with both sides in desperate need of a win to reignite their World Cup 2022 qualifying hopes.

Peru enter the matchday in seventh position after accumulating eight points, while Chile have a point fewer than their opponents and as a result, they are in eighth place.

Match preview

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Peru are five points off an automatic qualification place and they will see a home fixture as an opportunity to close that gap.

La Blanquirroja experienced a dreadful start to their campaign after only picking up one point in their first six games.

However, a three-match unbeaten run in qualifying followed, which included victories over Ecuador and Venezuela before they lost to Brazil in their most recent fixture with goals from Everton Ribeiro and Neymar proving enough to condemn Peru to their fifth defeat of the campaign.

Ricardo Gareca's side will have to improve defensively if they are to beat Chile, with Peru conceding 17 goals in qualifying - only Bolivia have conceded more.

At the other end of the pitch, Andre Carrillo has been pivotal for La Blanquirroja, scoring three goals in the campaign, and the Al Hilal player will need to perform if Peru are to get anything from the Chile encounter.

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Chile will enter the matchday six points off an automatic qualification place and, if La Roja are to make their third successive World Cup, then a winning run is required.

Chile have only won once in the entire campaign and their last six qualifying games have only yielded three points.

In Chile's last qualifying match, a goal from Jean Meneses proved insignificant, with Colombia running out 3-1 winners.

An important individual for La Roja has been Arturo Vidal, who has top-scored for Chile so far in qualifying having scored four goals.

Martin Lasarte's side will need someone to find their goalscoring touch due to the fact that Chile have only scored one goal in their last three games.

Team News

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Pedro Aquino has received a call-up to the Peru squad, having missed out on a place in the last international break, and the Club America player will likely start the game on the bench.

Peru's top-scorer in the campaign Carillo will start the fixture, with Gareca's side looking to collect their third victory of the campaign.

Ben Brereton Diaz has been called up for Chile and could come into the starting lineup for the fixture.

Chile's highest ever goalscorer Alexis Sanchez missed the last game against Colombia, but the Inter Milan player should come into the starting lineup for this encounter.

There is also the possibility that Lasarte brings Charles Aranguiz into the lineup.

Peru possible starting lineup:

Gallesse; Advincula, Santamaria, Callens, Lopez; Yotun, Tapia, Cueva; Carillo, Gonzales, Lapadula

Chile possible starting lineup:

Bravo; Diaz, Medel, Roco; Isla, Aranguiz, Vidal, Pulgar, Mena; Brereton Diaz, Sanchez

We say: Peru 1-2 Chile

This encounter is important for both sides and as a result the opening stages may be cagey, but we think Chile have the players that are capable of winning the game on their own and that may help them get the three points.