Copa America 2024: after slipping up against Costa Rica, Brazil must move forward against Paraguay
by Azadeh Ghavidel | by Azadeh Ghavidel
Following their surprising 0-0 with Costa Rica to kick off their 2024 Copa America campaign, Brazil will face Paraguay on Friday for their second Group D match. Manager Dorival Junior’s men are hoping to land their first victory in the tournament, but they will need to get the goals flowing in their second game. Their draw with Costa Rica left them second in their group, standing two points behind table leaders Colombia, who they will face in their final game.
Paraguay is currently struggling to make a good impression on their group, but their opening 2-1 loss against Colombia didn’t help to inspire confidence among their fans. However, they can still qualify for the knockout stage. Here’s a quick preview and betting predictions on Brazil against Paraguay in this Copa America group stage match.
Brazil vs Paraguay form analysis
Group D favorites, Brazil bid to get off the mark in the 2024 Copa America tournament. The Brazilians started their Group D campaign against Costa Rica but ended the match in a disappointing 0-0 draw. Before the game, Brazil scored one goal over the USA on 12th June but couldn’t score any goals against Costa Rica two weeks later.
The Green-Yellow will play the Colombians in their last Group D game, so they still have a solid chance of dominating their group. Their fans are concerned as they have drawn three out of their last four games, but manager Dorival’s men might redeem themselves against Paraguay. We say that Brazil will go back to its winning ways against Paraguay.
Brazil is in a great unbeaten run, having gone five games without a loss and that includes defeating England 1-0 at Wembley last March. The Green-Yellow also recorded an impressive 3-2 victory over Mexico earlier this month.
On the other hand, Paraguay is sitting at the bottom of Group D after losing to Colombia 2-1 in their opening Copa America match. Paraguay attempted to pull back with a goal in the second half, but they failed to equalize. However, the pressure will continue mounting in their upcoming matches against Brazil and Costa Rica, but scoring goals isn’t their strongest suit.
Brazil vs Paraguay Team News and Lineup
Brazil played their last games against Costa Rica without the services of Douglas Luiz. This was the first game that he didn’t participate in since last October and after a goalless draw, coach Dorival will want to see him to his spot. Eder Militao played as Brazil’s center-back over Costa Rica, helping the team maintain their clean sheet.
On the flip side, Paraguay is worried over Gustavo Velasquez and Andres Cubas. Both Velasquez and Cubas were present during their 2-1 defeat by Colombia. With the possibility of being suspended and missing their final match against Costa Rica, it will be interesting to see whether their manager decides to save them against Brazil. Goalkeeper Rodrigo Morinigo will also be looking to prove himself after conceding two goals in his debut match.
