Best Odds: 4/7
Bookmaker:
Looking to make it back-to-back World Cup qualifying victories in the early hours of Wednesday, Brazil will travel to Paraguay.
Paraguay
Starting with the hosts, while Paraguay might have eventually snatched a 0-0 stalemate away at Uruguay over the weekend, Gustavo Alfaro’s men have drastically struggled to find any kind of stability. Enduring a public Copa America nightmare during the summer as they lose all of their three Group D appearances by an aggregate score of 8-3, the Guaranies have another stern examination on the cards here. Signing off 2023 with a 1-0 defeat at home against Colombia, Paraguay have recorded just a pair of victories from any of their previous 13 appearances across all competitions. Pencilled in as a real underdog in midweek, Alfaro’s side could also be concerned by their most recent showdown against Wednesday’s guests. Falling to a 4-1 drumming when they met Brazil in Copa America action back on June 29th, La Albirroja will simply be looking to put in a better account of themselves.
Team News
Picking up what was a costly booking away against Uruguay over the weekend, defender Gustavo Gomez will miss out here as the 31-year-old serves a one-match suspension. Former West Ham star Fabian Balbuena should make a full return and replace Gomez at the heart of Paraguay’s defence.
Eventually staying put at St. James’ Park over the summer following intensive scrutiny over a move away, Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron will play a leading role here. Brighton’s Julio Enciso will earn a 19th international cap here and partner Almiron in attack.
Brazil
As for the visitors, managing to claim what was a crucial boost over the weekend as they snatched a 1-0 victory at home against Ecuador, Brazil will now be looking to find some crucial stability. Suffering Copa America heartbreak back on July 7th as they came crashing out at the semi-final stage, the South American giants have come under some real scrutiny over recent times. Signing off 2023 at the heart of a public crisis as they lost all of their final three World Cup qualifying appearances, Dorival Junior’s men have remarkably failed to collect back-to-back victories across any competition over the past 12 months. However, smelling a golden opportunity here, Brazil will certainly be excited by a rampant record against Wednesday’s hosts. Along with winning all of their previous five showdowns against Paraguay, they have also won just their last three battles by an aggregate score of 10-1.
Team News
Suffering an injury blow in the build-up to their 1-0 victory against Ecuador over the weekend, Real Madrid ace Eder Militao will not feature in the early hours of Wednesday. Likewise, all dealing with respective knocks, the trio of Yan Couto, Pedro and Manchester City summer signing Savinho have all withdrawn from Brazil’s squad.
Bagging the winner against Ecuador in Curitiba, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo will once again spearhead the Selecao’s charge. Newcastle skipper Bruno Guimaraes will once again be partnered with Wolves’ Andre at the heart of Junior’s midfield here.
Key Factors to Consider
