Venezuela and Ecuador will both aim to continue positive runs of results in South American World Cup Qualifying on Thursday, when they square off in Monagas.

The two nations are both unbeaten in their last three outings, having each amassed seven points from the first four rounds of games, although the visitors are three points behind their hosts in the group as a result of a deduction.

Match preview

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In their bid to reach a first-ever World Cup tournament, Venezuela have enjoyed a positive start in the South American Qualifying group, as they currently sit fourth with seven points on the board from their opening four outings.

That is despite suffering a 1-0 defeat away at Colombia in the opening round of games, as La Vinotinto quickly bounced back with a 1-0 win of their own at home to Paraguay, with Salomon Rondon netting the only goal from the penalty spot in injury time.

On their return to continental action last month, Fernando Batista's team added four more points to their tally in impressive fashion, firstly earning a creditable point from a 1-1 draw away at heavily-fancied Brazil, thanks to Eduard Bello's 85th-minute leveller, before most recently thrashing Chile 3-0 in Monagas with Yeferson Soteldo, Rondon and Darwin Machis on the scoresheet.

La Vinotinto will now regroup for the November fixtures with plenty of confidence, having amassed seven points, with only leaders Argentina managing more, and only conceded two goals thus far, while triumphing in both of their first two home outings of the qualifying campaign.

With the chance to climb as high as second spot on Thursday, Venezuela will now aim to make it three wins on the bounce on home soil ahead of a trip to Peru this week as they bid to establish themselves in the leading pack.

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That will be no easy task, though, as Ecuador arrive on the back of a similarly pleasing start, despite sitting three points worse off having started with an uphill struggle as they were struck with a three-point deduction from the start of the qualifying campaign.

While they were unable to cancel out that deficit in their first outing, losing 1-0 away at world champions Argentina as Lionel Messi netted the only goal 12 minutes from time, La Tricolor would bounce back in style with an impressive 2-1 home win over Uruguay thanks to Felix Torres's brace, before also managing four points from their next two fixtures in October.

They began with a tough trip to Bolivia and again came out as 2-1 winners in La Paz, despite the contest looking set to end level, as Keven Rodriguez netted the decisive goal deep into injury time after Kendry Paez's opener was cancelled out by Rodrigo Ramallo, before Felix Sanchez's team most recently welcomed Colombia to Quito and took another commendable point as the contest ended in a goalless stalemate.

Having now quickly overcome their starting deduction to move within three points of the nations between second and fourth spots, Ecuador will now aim to stretch their unbeaten run to four qualifying games and score a third win of the campaign with the chance to leapfrog their hosts in Monagas.

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Venezuela's starting XI on Thursday should certainly be similar to the one that featured in their 3-0 beating of Chile, although Darwin Machis has a claim to come into the attack from the outset after scoring their third goal off the bench in that match.

In a front three, he will hope to join fellow scorers Yeferson Soteldo and Salomon Rondon, who has scored twice in this qualifying campaign to take his tally to 41 international goals in 100 caps.

Captain Tomas Rincon, who boasts 129 international caps, will hope to return from the outset in midfield after Eduard Bello, Jose Martinez and Yangel Herrera were preferred last time out.

Like their hosts, Ecuador have little reason to make many changes from their recent international outings, although they are unable to call on talismanic forward Enner Valencia, who misses out on the November round of games through injury having netted 40 goals in his 83 caps.

More attacking responsibility will fall on Kevin Rodriguez in his absence, with Inter Miami's Leonardo Campana set to come and join him up top in their 3-5-2 shape.

Elsewhere, 16-year-old Kendry Paez should be handed another start in midfield alongside Carlos Gruezo and Chelsea star Moises Caicedo, while Felix Torres, Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapie will likely line up in an unchanged back three.

Venezuela possible starting lineup:
Romo; Gonzalez, Angel, Osorio, Navarro; Bello, Martinez, Herrera; Machis, Rondon, Soteldo

Ecuador possible starting lineup:
Dominguez; Torres, Pacho, Hincapie; Preciado, Paez, Caicedo, Gruezo, Chavez; Rodriguez, Campana

We say: Venezuela 1-1 Ecuador

Both sides will return to action with a degree of confidence and will be keen not to suffer a defeat after their positive starts to qualifying.

Even without Enner Valencia, Ecuador do still possess plenty of quality, and while they may lack some threat, they should still have enough to take a share of the spoils on their travels.


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Written by
Sam Varley

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