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World Cup aspirants Brazil will look to extend their unbeaten run in the Qualifiers when they host Colombia at the Neo Quimica Arena on Thursday evening. The hosts have been in excellent form in the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qualifiers, winning 10 of their 11 fixtures. Incidentally, their only draw came against Colombia in the reverse fixture.
While Brazil stand on the verge of qualification, Colombia still have plenty to do to make themselves a part of the extravaganza in Qatar. The South Americans have picked up 16 points from 12 games and are currently occupying the fourth Qualifying slot on the CONMEBOL table.
They desperately need a change of fortunes and getting something from their trip to Brazil will be at the top of their priority list.With sky-high stakes and an abundance of renowned players on display, Thursday's World Cup Qualifier has the potential to be a cracker of a contest.
Here are our top five predictions for Brazil’s 12th CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying fixture against Colombia:
#5 Key absentees to make life difficult for Colombia
Colombia coach Reinaldo Rueda has plenty of absentees to deal with ahead of the crucial clash with favorites Brazil. His first-choice central defenders Yerry Mina and Carlos Cuesta will miss out due to injuries. Their obvious replacement, Oscar Murillo, has also been ruled out with an injury.
Mateus Uribe and Radamel Falcao are also missing out, which could make Colombia’s already weak attack all the more toothless. James Rodriguez has earned a call-back, but he is well past his prime and does not seem capable of influencing a game single-handedly anymore.
All in all, Colombia will look a lot different than they did in the reverse fixture, and mostly for the worse.
#4 Vincius Jr.’s omission to hurt Brazil’s wing play
Despite emerging as one of the best players in Europe in recent weeks, Brazil’s Vinicius Jr. was not initially called up to the national team. The Real Madrid winger was included only after Roberto Firmino was ruled out with an injury. The left-winger remains below Raphinha and Antony in the pecking order, meaning we are not likely to see him in the starting XI on Thursday.
Although both wingers have been in good form for Brazil, Vinicius Jr.’s recent run warrants first-team opportunities. The 21-year-old has contributed directly to 16 goals in all competitions this season and would have brought freshness to Brazil’s attack.
Brazil can win without him, of course, but having Vinicius on either wing would have given a new dimension to their often predictable wing-play.
#3 Brazil’s static midfield to have trouble breaching Colombia’s low block
Brazil, who have picked up 31 points from 11 World Cup Qualifiers this season, is one of the favorites for the prestigious trophy in 2022. Their sharp attack and mean defense more than justifies the nomination, but their stagnant midfield is considerably behind the competition.
The Selecao midfield can pass the world around just fine but they do not have the attacking flair to carve the meanest defenses open. As a team, Colombia are not as talented as Brazil and will also miss some of their key players. However, Colombia’s knack for sitting deep and soaking up the pressure could make life difficult for the hosts.
Philippe Coutinho’s return to the team could be a turning point for Brazil. On his day, he can unlock any defense at will, and the onus could be on him to unlock a stubborn Colombia side on Thursday.
#2 Gabriel Jesus and Neymar to keep Colombia on their toes
Brazil’s unimaginative midfield often puts added pressure on the attackers. Thankfully, Brazil skipper Neymar knows just how to thrive under insurmountable pressure. When fit, the Paris Saint-Germain man can easily stake his claim as one of the best in the business.
He is arguably the best dribbler in the world, can create key chances all night long, and is also a potent goalscorer. Colombia will look to keep him contained, but we are not sure they are up for it.
Unlike Neymar, Gabriel Jesus has not had the luck of featuring in every Manchester City game. However, with Roberto Firmino missing out with an injury, Jesus is set to lead the line for Brazil against Colombia.
Jesus has not exactly been scoring for fun this season, but his overall gameplay has been quite impressive. We expect him to link up well with Neymar and even get himself on the scoresheet against Los Cafeteros.
#1 Brazil to win narrowly against Colombia
Colombia and Brazil are two of the most respected footballing nations in the world. They have plenty of firepower at their disposal and we expect both to put on a spirited show on Thursday.
However, judging by their recent performances, it is hard not to deem Brazil as the favorites for Thursday’s clash. The hosts have not only scored the most goals (26) in the Qualifiers but have also conceded the fewest (4). They could have some trouble breaching Colombia, but we expect the five-time World Cup winners to have the last laugh.
We predict a 2-1 win for the hosts in their 12th World Cup Qualifier, against Colombia on Thursday.
