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Brazil they take on Mexico in their second match in the group stage. Brazil were impressive in their opening match when they beat Croatia 3-1 Croatia after an early scare when they conceded an own goal. Mexico’s opening match ended 1-0 in their favour after Giovanni Dos Santos scored a goal in the second half to beat Cameroon. In a clash that could determine the topper of Group A, both teams would be looking to secure a full three points.
Venue
Estadio Castelao, Forteleza shall play host to this match. It was built in 1973 and named Estadio Governador Placido Castelo. It was revamped in early 2013 to host matches for the Confederations Cup and the World Cup. It has a capacity of around 60,000.
It is at mean sea level but the temperatures there peak up to 32 degrees. Coupled with that are the nearby coasts, therefore we could expect potential rains and strong winds.
Kickoff Time
18 June 2014 – 12.30 am – Indian Standard Time
17 June 2014 – 4.00 pm – Local Time
Possible Starting Lineups
In their last match, Brazil played with the exact line up that they used in the 2013 Confederations Cup final. Such a decision clearly highlights the fact that Scolari is unlikely to experiment and that he would go with the same players, irrespective of their previous performances. As was the tone in the first match, the team will rely on Neymar’s unpredictability to churn out a positive result.
Brazil (4-2-3-1): Cesar; Alves, Luiz, Silva, Marcelo; Gustavo, Paulinho; Hulk, Oscar, Neymar; Fred
Mexico’s pre-World Cup campaign was a turbulent one with the coach failing to stick to a consistent lineup. However, he had come out earlier saying that he does have a proper line-up which shall implement his ideas on the pitch. If the first match was to be an indication, the likes of Hernandez and Talavera may sit out. Giovanni Dos Santos will be key in Mexico’s attack, which will look to break past a troubled Brazil defense, as showed by their early own goal in the first match.
Mexico (Possible): Ochoa; Aguilar, Moreno, Marquez, Rodriguez, Layun; Guardado, Vazquez, Herrera; Dos Santos, Peralta.
Key Stats
- The two teams are meeting for the fourth time at a World Cup. The Selecao have won the three previous meetings.
- Brazil and Mexico faced each other the last time the World Cup was held in Brazil, in the opening game of the 1950 World Cup. The Selecao won 4-0.
- Oribe Peralta has netted nine times in his last seven competitive games for Mexico, including the winner against Cameroon in this tournament.
- Neymar has scored 33 times in his 50 appearances for Brazil with six in his last four appearances for the.
- Mexico have lost more games than any other team at World Cup Finals (24).
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Key Battles
Neymar vs Rafael Marquez
Mexico’s 3-man defence would be a tough nut for Brazil to crack. Neymar drifting towards the centre could be vital to Brazil’s chances, as seen in the first match. Marquez is in the twilight of his career and will be looking to play well in what is his fourth and potentially last World Cup. His performance in the first match suggested he was in good form after coming off well against Eto’o. However, Neymar’s pace and skill on the ball would be difficult to handle and it is important for Mexico for Marquez to be up to the task.
Oribe Peralta vs Thiago Silva
El Tri’s 30-year-old striker has been in sparkling form and will be expected to come good in this match. However, unlike Cameroon whose defence was quite fragile, Thiago Silva is one of the best in the business. Captaining the side, he is a player who is considered the archetype of the modern defender, being adept at all areas. Peralta’s smaller frame may not give him much of an advantage, but his work-rate and agility gives him a potential chance to ruin Brazil’s night.
Prediction
Despite their pre-World Cup troubles, Mexico have shown that they have what it takes to perform on the grandest stage. They would have won quite comfortably against Cameroon, save it for some refereeing blunders. Brazil, on the other hand come off an unconvincing performance where they saw their defense crumble to concede a soft own goal.
But, apart from past results, either team have every chance of winning, citing which I predict a draw.
Predicted Scoreline: Brazil 2–2 Mexico
Match Officials
Referee: Cuneyt Cakir (TUR)
Assistant Referee 1:Bahattin DURAN (TUR)
Assistant Referee 2:Tarik ONGUN (TUR)
Fourth official: Svein Oddvar MOEN (NOR)
