Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers match.
The previous round’s defeat dealt a significant blow to Bolivia’s hopes of securing even seventh place, which would grant access to the play-offs. Chile, meanwhile, will be mathematically eliminated from qualification unless they win this fixture. Only three rounds remain in the qualifying campaign.
Bolivia
Bolivia suffered a 0:2 defeat against a direct rival, Venezuela. While Venezuela are known for being strong at home, more was expected from the visitors, who failed to rise to the occasion. One of the goals came from a disastrous misunderstanding between defensive midfielder Héctor Cuéllar and goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra. With the score still at 0:1, Bolivia narrowly avoided conceding a second own goal.
Chile
Chile avoided such costly mistakes in their match against Argentina, but the contest was a real struggle. Both Alexis Sánchez and Arturo Vidal featured in the starting eleven, but with a combined age of 74, their impact was limited. Their attempts to challenge the world champions proved ineffective, as the match ended in a 0:1 defeat. Before that, the team failed to break down Ecuador at home in March, drawing 0:0 in Alexis Sánchez’s absence.
Bolivia vs Chile Prediction
Still, the experience of Alexis Sánchez and Arturo Vidal may come into play against Bolivia. The main challenge this time will be the altitude. Notably, that didn’t prevent Chile from winning 3:2 in a similar situation back in 2022. A draw or better seems a realistic outcome for the visitors, particularly if Bolivia continue to make errors at the back.
