It really is strange to see Brazil in fifth place after 12 qualifying rounds, so far behind their historic rivals Argentina, who are top of the table with a seven-point lead. No, qualifying for the World Cup in North America should not be a problem for the Seleçao, given that, following the expansion of the number of participants in the tournament, the top six teams in the South American qualifying round will qualify (the seventh will have to go through a playoff and only the bottom three will be eliminated). But coach Dorival Junior cannot be entirely satisfied with his team’s performance, which has been too inconsistent so far.
There have been many ups and downs for Brazil, which, despite having unlimited quality in all areas—especially in attack—continues to disappoint. Last November, the Cariocas took some worrying steps backward, failing to go beyond two draws with Venezuela and Uruguay (both games ended 1-1). As mentioned above, qualification will come in the end, but in the remaining games, a team like this is expected to at least raise its level. The match against Colombia will therefore be a good test, with the latter winning 2-1 in the first leg thanks to a brace from Liverpool striker Luis Diaz. The Cafeteros, despite losing three of their last four games, are not at risk: they are one point ahead of Brazil in the standings and have a comfortable lead over the seventh-placed team.
Dorival had included Neymar in the squad, but an injury has ruled the Santos player out: Endrick will take his place. There are two notable absences: Paquetà and Ederson. Captain James Rodriguez, who now plays for Leon in Mexico after his spell at Rayo Vallecano, is ready to lead Colombia as usual, while coach Nestor Lorenzo has put his faith in former Aston Villa player Duran, who moved to Saudi Arabia in January.
Odds comparison
Brazil’s victory is priced at 1.70 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and 1.73 on Snai. The “Over 1.5” bet is priced at 1.35 on Goldbet and Lottomatica and 1.40 on Snai.
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Prediction
Brazil has never lost to Colombia in front of its fans (including the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup): an unbeaten run that is set to continue, given the recent problems of the Cafeteros, who have won only once in six away games in these qualifiers. At least two goals in total.
Probable line-ups for Brazil vs. Colombia
BRAZIL (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Vanderson, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Alex Sandro; Gerson, Bruno Guimaraes; Rodrygo, Raphinha, Savinho; Vinicius Jr.
COLOMBIA (4-2-3-1): Vargas; Munoz, Lucumì, Sanchez, Mojica; Lerma, Rios; Arias, James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz; Duran.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1