After failing to beat Switzerland, Brazil need to go for a win against Costa Rica. That seems like an easy job, but Costa Rica have nothing to lose. They lost to Serbia in the first round and now need to go all-in. They need to try to avoid defeat in Saint Petersburg on Friday afternoon. So, can they achieve one of the biggest feats in their football history?
Brazil
The biggest favorite for winning the World Cup started the tournament with a fairly disappointing performance against Switzerland. It’s not that Brazil were the worst team, but they simply weren’t inspiring enough to beat defensive-minded Swiss.
Truth be told, the Swiss did play a bit dirty, committing fouls on Neymar almost each time he received the ball. In fact, Neymar became the most fouled player on World Cups since 1998. The Swiss also played rough against Brazil’s defense when they scored the equalizer, the goal that most of the public thinks should’ve been disallowed.
But, that’s all in the past now and Brazil need to focus on the next match, in which they need to win all three points. It’s not only because of prestige but also because they need to ensure a place among the top 16 teams in the world.
Again, Neymar is the player who’s in the focus. Although he didn’t have good time against Switzerland, this guy has plenty of talent to destroy Costa Rica singlehandedly. Neymar is still one of the biggest favorites to be the top scorer of World Cup 2018, so you can be sure he will be eager to show everyone he’s worthy of it.
Costa Rica
After losing 1:0 to Serbia, Costa Rica’s chances of advancing to the Round of 16 have diminished drastically. They do still have a theoretical chance to get there, but in order to achieve such a feat, they need a little help from the lady luck. And they need to do well against Brazil, which seems like an even more unlikely scenario.
Still, this doesn’t mean they won’t try it. You can be certain that Costa Rica will copy the tactic of Switzerland and play ultra-defensively against Brazil, committing lots of fouls in the middle of the pitch. This team has a couple of pacey players, so it’s fair to assume they’re gonna try to hit Brazil on the break.
Possible Lineups
Brazil:
Alisson – Silva, Miranda, Danilo, Marcelo – Casemiro, Paulinho, Coutinho – Neymar, Willian, Gabriel Jesus
Costa Rica:
Navas – Gonzales, Duarte, Acosta, Gamboa, Calvo – Guman Perez, Borges, Venegas, Ruiz – Urena
Brazil vs. Costa Rica Match Prediction
If Brazil failed to win another match on this tournament, it would be a real catastrophe. They’re the number 1 favorite for winning the trophy and they need to show the world what they’re made of. They were unlucky to beat Switzerland, but they’re now facing a fairly easier challenge. Costa Rica really don’t seem like a team that could avoid losing heavily to the 5-time world champions.
Brazil vs. Costa Rica Betting Tips
- Brazil @1.20 (bet365)
- Brazil AH -1.5 @1.65 (Unibet)
- Neymar to Score Anytime @1.73 (Betfred)