Brazil aim to turn things up a notch as they resume Copa America action on Friday when they take on Paraguay. The Selecao are off to a disappointing start to the tournament with a scoreless draw against Costa Rica and will be under pressure to get their first win of the tournament. Their chances are high against Paraguay, who lost their first game of the Copa America against Colombia but have more attacking firepower in them than Costa Rica does.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Friday, June 28 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Allegiant Stadium — Paradise, Nevada
- TV: FS1 | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds: Paraguay +800; Draw +420; Brazil -320
Group D outlook
Brazil sit in second place with one point, tied on points with Costa Rica after one game. Colombia are in touching distance with three points but could maintain a gap at the top by beating Costa Rica in the other Group D match of the day and clinch a quarterfinal berth in the process. Paraguay, meanwhile, are bottom and the only team in the group without any points.
Storylines
Paraguay: They may be one of the underdogs in this group but if their 2-1 loss to Colombia is anything to go by, they might not give up without a fight. Despite having just 32% of the ball that day, they matched Colombia’s shot out with 11 attempts and three on target. Julio Enciso scored their first goal of the tournament but there are other attacking options they can lean on, including Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron.
Brazil: The roller coaster ride for Brazil over the last few months has not slowed at the Copa America, with the latest deflating result coming in their scoreless draw against Costa Rica. The Selecao were quite wasteful on Monday, taking 19 shots but putting just three on goal and failing to capitalize despite posting 1.71 expected goals. The expectation will be for the likes of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Endrick to actually score Brazil’s first goal of the competition and re-affirm their status as one of the favorites to win the competition.
Prediction
It may not be an easy outing, but at some point Brazil’s luck might turn good. Expect them to finally get goals on the board, even if they are unable to truly impress onlookers at this early stage of the competition. Pick: Paraguay 0, Brazil 1
KVSP