2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers: Argentina's hopes on line

Argentina’s stumbling 2018 World Cup qualification campaign faces another awkward hurdle on Thursday as the misfiring South American giants take on in-form Peru in Buenos Aires.

The 2014 World Cup finalists have lurched from one disappointment to the next since South America’s qualifiers kicked off two years ago, with the two-time champions invariably failing to add up to the sum of their talented parts.

Despite a formidable arsenal of attackers led by Lionel Messi, the Argentinians have scored just 16 goals in 16 games, the second lowest total behind already-eliminated Bolivia.

A lacklustre 1-1 home draw with Venezuela in their last outing on September 5 left Argentina’s hopes of automatic qualification for next year’s finals in Russia hanging by the slenderest of threads.

With just Thursday’s game against Peru and next week’s challenging trip to Ecuador remaining, Argentina are in fifth place in the table, outside the top four automatic qualifying places.

While a fifth-place finish would likely still see them qualify for Russia — with what ought to be a straight forward playoff assignment against New Zealand awaiting  — a crowded table means Argentina can’t take anything for granted.

If South American champions Chile — currently in sixth place, one point adrift of Argentina — win their home match against Ecuador, and fourth-placed Peru win or draw in Buenos Aires, Argentina will head into the final round of games next week outside both the automatic qualifying and playoff places.

In a bid to avoid that scenario, Argentina have sought to obtain every advantage possible against Peru, who have reignited their qualification campaign with consecutive wins over Uruguay, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Venue switch draws protest
The match has been moved to Boca Juniors’ intimidating La Bombonera ground, where steep stands surrounding three sides of the pitch help to create a bearpit-like atmosphere in the 49,000-capacity venue. Peru last month requested to Fifa that the game be moved to another venue on safety grounds.

Ronaldo concern for Portugal
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo went through a worryingly light training session on Wednesday in Lisbon ahead of two crucial final World Cup qualifiers. If Euro 2016 champions Portugal beat Andorra on Saturday and current Group B leaders Switzerland in Lisbon three days later, they will book a direct slot at Russia 2018. But on Wednesday Real Madrid superstar Ronaldo, accompanied by a physio, did a little running and hardly touched a ball as the rest of the squad went through a complete work out, according to a photographer.

England bank on Kane vs Slovenia
Meanwhile, England will look to red-hot Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane to fire them to the World Cup finals when they tackle Slovenia in their penultimate qualifying match on Thursday.

After a barren August, 24-year-old Kane hit brilliant form in September, scoring 13 goals in eight matches for club and country.

Victory over Slovenia at Wembley will give England a place at next year’s World Cup in Russia and with Kane scoring goals so freely, his teammates will take to the field buoyed by an extra measure of belief.

And Kane appears close to becoming Wayne Rooney’s successor as permanent England skipper after being handed the captain’s armband for Thursday’s match by manager Gareth Southgate.

The Tottenham Hotspur striker, 24, captained England against Scotland and France at the end of last season.    

Live on TV
2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers
Armenia vs Poland
from 9.30 pm on SONY TEN 2, HD
England vs Slovenia
from 12.15 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 3, HD
Northern Ireland vs Germany
from 12.15 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 2, HD
Scotland vs Slovakia
from 12.15 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 1, HD
Bolivia vs Brazil
from 1.30 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 2
Venezuela vs Uruguay
from 2.30 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 1, HD
Chile vs Ecuador
from 4.30 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 2, HD
Argentina vs Peru
from 5 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 3, HD 
Colombia vs Paraguay
from 5 am (Friday) on SONY TEN 1, HD