Despite considered the number 1 favorite for winning the World Cup, Brazil haven’t been too impressive so far. There’s still danger that they could end up without a spot in the knockout phase. To prevent such a disastrous scenario from happening, they need to avoid losing to Serbia at the Otkrytiye Arena in Moscow on Wednesday evening. Surely, they will want to win this match and go to the Round of 16 as the winners of Group E. But, do Serbia have some saying in this?
Serbia
With 3 points after two rounds, Serbia still have a chance to get a place among the top 16 teams in the world. But, for that, they need a good result against Brazil. They need to win this match, although there’s a scenario in which even a draw would suit them. But, for that to happen, Switzerland would have to lose to Costa Rica.
Although there’s not much that’s going in their favor ahead of this game, Serbia will have to go for a win against Brazil. In the end, they have nothing to lose in this match. Actually, this can be a good thing for that, as without any pressure, they can play creatively.
Of course, attacking against Brazil is bound to leave a lot of open space at the back, which pacey Brazil forwards will try to exploit. And that seems to be a real problem for Serbia’s defensive players. Actually, that is how they allowed the second goal against the Swiss in the previous round, when Xherdan Shaqiri outrun their defense.
What seems to be a thing that Serbia could use a weapon against Brazil is their height advantage. This team has many players who are fantastic in the air, so they could take advantage of that against Brazil, who have allowed their only goal at this World Cup from a corner.
Brazil
After 1:1 against Switzerland, Brazil beat Costa Rica 2:0, but even in that match they weren’t too impressive. In fact, they won the game with two goals scored in the stoppage time. If they want to become new champions of the world, they need to start playing much, much better. And the game against Serbia is definitely a good opportunity for that.
Beating Serbia would take them to the knockout stage, but also give their players confidence that they will do well in the remainder of the tournament. This is actually very important, as there’s a chance they will play Germany in the Round of 16. Because of that, it’s crucial to finish the group stage with their heads held high.
Obviously, they have the quality to destroy Serbia on Wednesday evening. This team has some of the best players on the planet, especially in the final third. Surely, their key player is Neymar, but there are plenty other players who have the talent to beat Serbia on their own. Coutinho, Gabriel Jesus, Willian are just some worth mentioning.
Possible Lineups
Serbia:
Stojkovic – Milenkovic, Tosic, Ivanovic, Kolarov – Matic, Milivojevic, Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic, Ljajic – Mitrovic
Brazil:
Alisson – Silva, Miranda, Danilo, Marcelo – Casemiro, Paulinho, Coutinho – Neymar, Willian, Gabriel Jesus
Serbia vs. Brazil Match Prediction
Obviously, Brazil are big favorites here and for a reason. They’re a much better team than Serbia, but still haven’t shown their full potential. Brazil need to win this game to get to the knockout stage, so you can be sure they will take this seriously.
Serbia vs. Brazil Betting Tips
- Brazil @1.53 (bet365)
- Over 2.5 Goals @1.89 (Unibet)
- Neymar to Score Anytime @1.94 (Unibet)