A victory on any score will guarantee the Brazilian team at its 22nd World Cup
A month after drawing a goalless draw in Barranquilla, Brazil and Colombia meet in São Paulo for the 13th round of the qualifiers. The teams face off at 9:30 pm (Brasilia time), at the Neo Química Arena.
Brazil is classified, but the Colombians – despite three consecutive goalless draws in the qualifiers – have good chances of securing another World Cup.
With 31 points, a team of Tite has an unbeaten campaign, with 10 wins in 11 matches – the only draw was with Colombia, in the clash last month. The confirmation of the spot for the Cup in Qatar can happen in today’s match, even with only 12 games played, since Brazil and Argentina were suspended.
A victory on any scoreboard will guarantee the Canarinha team in its 22nd Cup, as it would go to 34 points and could only be surpassed by Argentina (now with 25), Ecuador, with 17 and Uruguay, with 16. The Colombians, even if they all won the remaining five games would only go to 31 points.
Colombia has 16 points on the leaderboard and is in fourth place, tied with Uruguay, who would dispute the play-off today. The Colombians have already been to six world championships (1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014 and 2018) and the best position was fifth place in Brazil, in 2014, when they lost in the quarterfinals to the Brazilian team. It is worth remembering that the fifth place in the qualifiers disputes the repechage.
For this Thursday’s game, Tita will make four changes in relation to the time that beat Uruguay, in Manaus, in the last round of the Qualifiers, by 4-1. Alisson returns to the goal in place of Ederson. Danilo replaces Emerson, as well as Marquinhos and Casemiro, who return to time in the vacancies of Lucas Veríssimo and Fabinho. The offensive sector follows the same as the victory over Uruguay. Lucas Paquetá plays on the left, with Raphinha on the right and Neymar and Gabriel Jesus make the duo.
On the Colombian side, coach Reinaldo Rueda counts on the return of James Rodríguez, who can help to get back in time to balance the net, since the “cafeteros” have not scored goals in three games. There is still doubt in the lineup, as Rueda has a Cantillo option in midfield, but must defend Yairo.
