South American World Cup Qualifying Odds & Picks Matchday 10: Uruguay vs Ecuador, Colombia vs Chile & Brazil vs Peru

• All 10 South American teams are in World Cup qualifying action on Thursday, September 9
• Brazil will try to maintain a 100% record without a number of stars with Premier League players unavailable
• Read on for a look at all the odds, along with three highlighted betting previews and best bets

Matchday 10 in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying has been thrown into something approaching disarray with the English Premier League’s decision not to release players to play in countries on Britain’s COVID-19 red list. As a result, both Brazil and Argentina – currently first and second in the standings – will be missing the likes of Alisson Becker, Thiago Silva and Emiliano Martinez.

But missing stars or not, both are still heavy favorites to win their respective matches and take another step towards next year’s World Cup in Qatar. Here’s a look at all the odds for Thursday, with a focus on three matches for your betting consideration below.

CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying Odds

Odds as of September 8th at DraftKings

Uruguay vs Ecuador Prediction

It’s fourth vs third in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings, with Uruguay currently just one point back of Thursday’s visitors to Montevideo.

Uruguay comfortably eased past Bolivia 4-2 last weekend, extending its unbeaten streak in qualifying to four games. Another win here would see La Celeste leapfrog Ecuador in the CONMEBOL standings, but then La Tri will hope to draw comfort from the 4-2 win they registered over Uruguay in Quito earlier in the qualifying campaign.

Giorgian De Arrascaeta for Uruguay:

– 3 goals in his first 30 appearances.
– 3 goals in the 2 appearances since his 30th.

When you give him the freedom to play, he will deliver. One of the best Uruguayan footballers in world football. pic.twitter.com/JYUaAqs58u

— Warriors of Uruguay (@UruguayHeroes) September 8, 2021

Gustavo Alfaro’s side rebounded from a winless Copa America to take four points from the last two qualifying games, featuring a 2-0 home win over Paraguay last week, before a goalless draw against Chile on Sunday. And though Uruguay has a massive 31-7-11 edge in the all-time series, Alfaro can point to recent results, which has seen Ecuador win three of the last five meetings, for motivation.

With Uruguay playing without Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Uruguay has been forced to rely on the likes of Agustin Alvarez and Maxi Gomez. In addition, playmaker Giorgian de Arrascaeta has stepped up recently, scoring three goals in the previous two games.

Pick: Draw (+230)

Colombia vs Chile Prediction

Just three points separate Colombia in fifth and Chile in eighth in the standings. But a win here could see Chile leapfrog its rival and stay on course for qualification for the first time since 2014.

To do that it will have to score a goal, something that La Roja hasn’t done in four games, since a 1-1 draw with Uruguay at this summer’s Copa America. Consequently, head coach Martin Lasarte has just two wins during his 10 games in charge, and both of those came against Bolivia, currently ninth in the CONMEBOL standings.

Things won’t get much easier for Lasarte and his team here, with both Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas missing from this game, so it’s hard to see where the goals will come from.

Colombia has found wins hard to come by too, with the team registering just two victories in its eight qualifying games. However, the team is being kept afloat by being somewhat hard to beat, having drawn four of those eight contests. And while Chile leads the all-time series 16-10-15, five of the last seven head-to-head contests have been drawn, which technically could move to six if you include their 2019 Copa America meeting, won by Chile on penalties after a goalless draw.

Pick: Draw (+250)

Brazil vs Peru Prediction

Playing without Alisson, Thiago, Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino would hamstring most teams. But then Brazil isn’t most teams, and despite the absence of its Premier League-based stars, Tite’s squad should be able to paper over any cracks and survive the losses.

Brazil have hit back at the Premier League after clubs blocked players from heading on international duty. 👀

❌ Alisson, Fabinho, Firmino, Ederson, Jesus, Thiago Silva, Fred & Raphinha are unable to play between September 10-14.

Brazil have said Richarlison can play. pic.twitter.com/AnuJUnygEv

— Don Robbie (@ItsDonRobbie) September 8, 2021

With Palmeiras star Weverton deputizing in net, along with stalwarts such as Real Madrid’s Casemiro and Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar and Marquinhos, the five-time world champions should still have too much on paper here.

However, with a 100% record behind them, and having conceded just two goals through seven games, Brazil could be forgiven for taking its foot off the accelerator here, especially with World Cup qualification all but sewn up.

Peru gave Brazil a stern test in the Copa America semifinal back in July – despite losing 4-0 to it in the group stage – eventually succumbing to a Lucas Paqueta goal, and with the team fighting for its life in World Cup qualifying, Brazil can expect a similarly tough test here. Ricardo Gareca’s team is on something of a high right now too, unbeaten in its past three qualifiers, courtesy of wins over Ecuador and Venezuela, along with a draw against Uruguay last week.

Brazil unsurprisingly dominates the all-time series 36-5-9, but lookout for a 10th draw here.

Pick: Draw (+400)