Serbia vs Brazil
The qualifying scenario is simple in the Serbia vs Brazil match-up at Spartak Stadium: win and you’re in.
That’s not to say that the losers of the game will be sent home packing immediately; but with Switzerland set to face the winless Costa Ricans in the other Group E fixture, both Serbia and Brazil know that victory is their only option this time around.
Serbia are third and are in a perilous situation of totally missing out, so they will undoubtedly be hungry to prove themselves.
Brazil, meanwhile, beat Costa Rica last week to the tune of a 2-0 victory. However, they will be missing two role players, which could prove crucial in their FIFA 2018 knockout bid.
Talking Points
Two players injured and their World Cup hopes depending on the Serbia-Brazil results? Surely, there’s no better time for Neymar to wear his superman cape and become the hero that the Selecao need in a time of peril.
Danilo, who started for Brazil in their 1-1 draw with Switzerland, remains out due to a hip problem. Meanwhile, the influential Douglas Costa—who played a key role off the bench as Brazil down Los Ticos with two second-half goals—is also set to be sidelined after picking up a hamstring injury.
“Yesterday, at the end of the game, Douglas Costa complained of pain in the back of his right thigh, only remembering that he was injured, but in the left thigh,” Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar confirmed last Saturday. “It’s been diagnosed as a small muscle injury, so he will not travel with us. He will stay in Sochi.”
Fortunately for Brazil, their star man Neymar is fit and “has totally recovered,” according to Lasmar. The 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain striker limped off during practice after their opening draw with Switzerland, raising fears that he might not be fully fit (even after playing and scoring against Costa Rica).
Furthermore, the Brazil national team doctor confirmed that the problem in Neymar’s left foot no longer worries them.
Now, Neymar is up for the task of leading Brazil to their sixth World Cup title. Helping the Selecao qualify and get the top spot in the group is the first step to that.
Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus will also prove crucial in the match, but there’s no doubt Neymar will have to take on the job of being the game-changer for the team.
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Serbia, on the other hand, know for a fact that they are underdogs when they play the five-time World Cup champions. But with their survival at stake, they have every reason to go all out and fight until the end.
They almost secured a ticket to the next round when Aleksandar Mitrovic fired them in front five minutes into the game against the Swiss. However, a pair of second-half goals from Switzerland saw his effort fell in vain.
Defence will be key for the Serbs against Brazil. And maybe, just maybe, they can learn a thing or two from Switzerland who fouled Neymar 10 times en route to a draw.
Of course, I’m not suggesting they do the same thing, but they can take advantage of Neymar’s penchant for taking opponents on the middle of the field and make life a little difficult for him.
History
Serbia, as an independent nation, last played Brazil in 2014 in the build-up to the World Cup. The Selecao won that match 1-0.
Nonetheless, Serbia can’t expect to face the same Brazil squad when they play at Moscow. After all, despite their recent form, the Brazilians are still unbeaten in their last 13 matches (nine wins and four draws). More amazingly, they conceded just three goals in that run.
In the same stretch, Serbia accumulated a 7-2-4 win-draw-loss record, all while giving up 11 goals in the process.
If you’re a fan of history though, it’s interesting to note that Serbia (including their time as part of Yugoslavia) have met Brazil 19 times overall—winning just twice while losing 10 times and drawing the other seven.
What are the odds?
Coach Tite’s men are still heavy favourites to lift the World Cup trophy next month, so it isn’t surprising to see the Serbia vs Brazil betting odds backing them to take the point(s) needed to qualify for the knockout rounds.
At SBOBET, Brazil are at odds of 1.53 to win on a 1X2 bet, while Serbia are way behind at 6.20 and a draw at 4.00. To paint a better picture of the Serbs’ chances, they are given a +1.25 start that pays at 1.71 to even the playing field.
Meanwhile, considering that both teams haven’t scored a lot (five in total after two games), Over 2.25 goals is at 1.75 while Under 2.50 is at 1.89.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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