Paraguay vs Brazil Prediction: Samba Stars set for another win

This summer’s Copa America was a disappointing one for Brazil as they crashed out in the quarter-finals despite entering the tournament as one of the favourites. 

They bounced back from that penalty-shootout defeat to Uruguay with a 1-0 win over Ecuador on Friday and will be looking to build on that victory in World Cup qualifying by beating Paraguay on Wednesday. Read on for my Paraguay vs Brazil prediction, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Football Odds

Team News

Paraguay will be happy with their 0-0 draw against Uruguay last time out and Gustavo Alfaro may name an unchanged side for this clash, meaning Premier League stars Miguel Almiron and Julio Enciso should start again.

Rodrygo started up front and netted Brazil’s only goal against Ecuador and should keep his Real Madrid teammate Endrick out of the starting line-up as a result.

Manager Junior will want to assess more of his players, though, so the likes of Willian Estevao, Lucas Beraldo and Joao Gomes could be handed starts.

Paraguay vs Brazil Odds

Brazil are unsurprisingly favourites for this clash, priced up at 4/7, with Paraguay 9/2 and the draw 13/5.

The hosts’ struggles in attack mean that both teams to score is priced at 6/5 while over 2.5 goals is available at 5/4.

Endrick is the 5/1 favourite to open the scoring, with his Madrid teammates Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo just behind him in the market at 11/2.

Brazil to win to nil @ 23/20

While Brazil were far from perfect against Ecuador, they still restricted their visitors to just two shots on target and a defensive pairing of Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes, backed up by world-class goalkeeper Alisson, is proving difficult to break through for most sides.

The Samba Stars have kept three clean sheets in their last five matches – shutting out Marcelo Bielsa’s free-scoring Uruguay in that run – and could remain resolute in Asuncion when beating a side who have just one win after seven World Cup qualifiers.

Paraguay did net against Brazil at the Copa America but that goal came out of the blue as they were dominated in a match which saw the Selecao rack up 4.22 expected goals to La Albirroja’s 0.76.

The Paraguayans had blanked in their four previous clashes with the Samba Stars and have scored only six goals in their last 13 matches, suggesting an away win combined with a clean sheet seems a likely outcome in Asuncion.

Lucas Paqueta anytime goalscorer @ 3/1

One player who has still performed well for Brazil, even when the overall team hasn’t, is Lucas Paqueta, who seems a likely candidate to find the net against Paraguay.

The West Ham star has taken 10 shots in his last five matches for the Selecao and notched the assist for Rodrygo’s goal against Ecuador on Friday.

Paqueta missed one penalty but scored another in the Copa America meeting with Paraguay over the summer and having already netted for West Ham in the Premier League this term, he looks a big price to again find the net against La Albirroja.

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