Soccer Betting – Ecuador Hosts Chile in WC Qual.

Chile (+240) at Ecuador (+114), Draw (+229), Handicap: Ecuador -0.5

Two of South America’s more middling teams will go head-to-head on Thursday in a match that could prove crucial for both of their World Cup hopes. Ecuador (4-1-3, 13 pts, fifth-place) have faltered after a great start to qualification. Now they return home to face Chile (3-2-3, 11 pts; seventh-place), a team on on their heels for the all-important fifth spot in the standings. Ecuador and Chile will meet at the Olimpico Atahualpa this Thursday (Oct. 6) at 5:00 PM Eastern.

Ecuador were in first in the qualification table before the last two fixtures. But they’ve now lost three straight, including a disappointing 2-1 setback to Peru (who are currently second-last) last time out. They were also pasted 3-0 by Brazil in their most recent home game.

Defense has been the major issue with the team giving up eight goals in the past three games. They’d only surrendered four in the five games prior. Their 13 goals-for is second among qualifying teams, but they’ve tallied just twice during the losing streak.

The squad is 2-1-1 at home and even on goal differential.

Chile don’t exactly come in on fire, losing three of their last five, themselves. They earned a point in their last match against Bolivia (0-0 home), but would have been hoping for more in a very winnable home game. The success they found at the 2016 Copa America hasn’t translated to the WC qualifiers. Indeed, the team hasn’t won a game – friendly or competitive – since taking the Copa title.

They have an identical 13 goals-for and 12 goals-against as Ecuador at the moment, and are an even 2-0-2 on the road (nine goals-for, nine goals-against).

Chile are 2-0 against Ecuador in the most recent head to head games, though (2015 and 2013). Both of those came on home soil, and they’ll have to travel for Thursday’s match, but they’re the better team and should finally start playing like their Copa selves this week. I certainly like the value on Chile +0.5.

Pick: Chile +0.5.

Photo credit: Soldado de la iglesia (Own work) CC BY-SA 4.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0], via Wikimedia Commons.