CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying continues Tuesday with first-place Brazil hosting ninth-place Paraguay in Belo Hirozonte. The Brazilians are top of the table at 11-3-0, having already qualified for the 2022 World Cup, while the Paraguayans have lost four of five with their slim hopes of making it to Qatar looking slimmer by the day. The visitors enter the game six points back of fifth place, and failure to win here likely ends any hopes of qualifying.
Here’s are storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 1 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto — Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Live stream: fuboTV (Try now)
- Odds: Brazil -490; Draw +420; Paraguay +1600 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Brazil: This is one of those games where Tite can mess around and give some minutes to guys he may consider fringe players for the World Cup. They will be without Emerson Royal for this match after being shown a red last time out, but don’t be surprised to see significant minutes for guys like Newcastle signee Bruno Guimaraes, Gerson or Antony. This is a great chance to really focus in on the depth in attack considering Neymar’s injury history.
Paraguay: Just three games remain for Paraguay if they hope to make the World Cup, and they will take on three teams that look like they will be in Qatar. First is Brazil, who have already qualified, and then Ecuador and Peru. It certainly feels like they must win all three to have any chance of qualifying, and the issue there is Paraguay have won just two games in all of qualifying. They need a miracle and for somebody in attack to step up. They have just nine goals in 15 games.
Prediction
This one is over at halftime as Gabriel Jesus scores early with Casemiro finding the net again. Pick: Brazil 3, Paraguay 0
KVSP