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

Lionel Scaloni's world champions are top of the table on nine points, while Peru have found it difficult in the section thus far, picking up just one point from three games to sit in ninth position.

Match preview

Peru have been present at the finals of five World Cups, with their best performances in the competition coming in 1970 and 1978, when they reached the quarter-finals.

The White and Reds competed at the 2018 World Cup, being eliminated in the group stage, but they did not qualify for the 2022 competition in Qatar.

Juan Reynoso's team opened their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign with a goalless draw against Paraguay last month, but they have lost their last two against Brazil and Chile, with one point leaving them in ninth position in the section.

Peru will be back in action after this one against Bolivia and Venezuela next month, and they are the type of matches that will determine where the national side finish in the qualification section.

La Rojiblanca have not actually beaten Argentina in any competition since June 1997, which is an indication of the size of their task in this match, although two of their last four meetings have finished all square.

Argentina have not missed a step since winning the World Cup final against France last December, posting seven straight victories in 2023, four of which were friendly fixtures.

The reigning world champions have won their first three qualification matches for the 2026 competition, meanwhile, opening their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Ecuador on September 8.

Scaloni's side then recorded a 3-0 win over Bolivia in their second match, before beating Paraguay 1-0 last time out, with Nicolas Otamendi scoring the only goal of the contest in the third minute.

Argentina last failed to qualify for a World Cup finals in 1970, and it would be one of the biggest shocks in history if they were not present at the 2026 competition.

The White and Sky Blues are actually unbeaten since their shock 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening match at the 2022 World Cup, and they will be bidding to put a fourth straight win on the board in this section on Tuesday before taking on Uruguay and Brazil in two standout matches next month.

Peru World Cup Qualifying - South America form:

D

L

L

Peru form (all competitions):

D

W

L

D

L

L

Argentina World Cup Qualifying - South America form:

W

W

W

Argentina form (all competitions):

W

W

W

W

W

W

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Team News

Paolo Guerrero is comfortably the leading goalscorer in the Peru squad, finding the back of the net on 39 occasions, and the 39-year-old is again expected to operate in the final third of the field.

Andy Polo was substituted at the interval of the team's 2-0 loss to Chile last time out, but he is expected to be given another chance in a wide position here.

Andre Carrillo is pushing to come into the side, though, and the 32-year-old could operate in a deeper position on Tuesday, with Christofer Gonzales potentially dropping to the bench.

As for Argentina, Lionel Messi was not in the starting side against Paraguay on Thursday, with head coach Scaloni cautious over his star player's fitness due to a recent leg injury.

Messi featured off the bench early in the second period, though, and he is now expected to be handed a position in the XI against Peru on Tuesday.

Nicolas Gonzalez is expected to be the player to drop down to the bench, with Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez featuring alongside Messi in the final third of the field.

Rodrigo De Paul was substituted late on against Paraguay, but it was a tactical change rather than an enforced one, and the midfielder will be fit to start in this contest.

Peru possible starting lineup:

Gallesse; Corzo, Zambrano, Abram, Trauco; Aquino, Yotun; Advincula, Carrillo, Polo; Guerrero

Argentina possible starting lineup:

E Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, L Martinez, Alvarez

We say: Peru 0-2 Argentina

Peru are capable of making this an uncomfortable game for Argentina, but it is very difficult to imagine anything other than an away win on Tuesday. Argentina have so much quality throughout their side and should have too much for their opponents in this contest.

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