Venezuela and Bolivia meet in one of the most important CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers this month on Friday night between two sides on the fringes of qualification. Both nations have one eye on an unlikely late surge for the top six, but they will know their best bet is to go through the playoffs.
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Venezuela will take to the field in Maturin on Friday without knowing for sure how sixth-place Colombia have fared against Peru, and Fernando Batista's men certainly need a favour from the Bicolour on matchday 15.
La Vinotinto have never qualified for a World Cup, being the only CONMEBOL nation not to have done so, but the new expanded format offers them their best chance yet to reach the finals.
Venezuela start the month in the playoff place, one point ahead of upcoming opponents Bolivia, but five behind Colombia in the final automatic qualifying spot.
This has been one of the Vinotinto's finest qualifying campaigns to date, aided by the fact they are still unbeaten at home, taking 13 points from their seven matches in Maturin.
A lack of wins has been costly though, because a 1-0 success over Peru in March was their first in 10 games, and it has been their away form in particular that has been underwhelming.
Batista's men lost in Bolivia and Chile, two nations below them in the standings, conceding four goals on both occasions, as they have even less points (two) on the road than Bolivia (three), who are notoriously among the worst travellers in international football.
The hosts' head-to-head record at home to Bolivia is supreme though, winning all six of their qualifiers on home soil against La Verde in the 21st century.
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Venezuela will take to the field in Maturin on Friday without knowing for sure how sixth-place Colombia have fared against Peru, and Fernando Batista's men certainly need a favour from the Bicolour on matchday 15.
La Vinotinto have never qualified for a World Cup, being the only CONMEBOL nation not to have done so, but the new expanded format offers them their best chance yet to reach the finals.
Venezuela start the month in the playoff place, one point ahead of upcoming opponents Bolivia, but five behind Colombia in the final automatic qualifying spot.
This has been one of the Vinotinto's finest qualifying campaigns to date, aided by the fact they are still unbeaten at home, taking 13 points from their seven matches in Maturin.
A lack of wins has been costly though, because a 1-0 success over Peru in March was their first in 10 games, and it has been their away form in particular that has been underwhelming.
Batista's men lost in Bolivia and Chile, two nations below them in the standings, conceding four goals on both occasions, as they have even less points (two) on the road than Bolivia (three), who are notoriously among the worst travellers in international football.
The hosts' head-to-head record at home to Bolivia is supreme though, winning all six of their qualifiers on home soil against La Verde in the 21st century.