Brazil, the five-time World Cup champions, are looking to continue their resurgence under head coach Dorival Júnior as they host Colombia in a crucial World Cup qualifier. Prior to Júnior’s appointment in January 2024, Brazil had been winless in four World Cup qualifiers, but have since lost just one of their last six qualifiers, winning three and drawing two.
The Seleção are currently fifth in the CONMEBOL league table, with a five-point buffer to seventh-placed Bolivia. With the top six teams automatically qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, Brazil is well-placed to maintain their 100% record of participating in every World Cup finals to date. Colombia, on the other hand, is a point and a place better off than Brazil, thanks to an eight-match unbeaten run at the start of this qualifying campaign.
However, Colombia’s form has dipped of late, with three losses in their last four games. Despite this, they need just five points from their remaining six qualifiers to book their World Cup ticket, having failed to reach the finals in 2022. Colombia won the reverse fixture 2-1 back in November 2023 and are unbeaten in their two head-to-heads with Brazil since Néstor Lorenzo took charge in July 2022.
Historically, Colombia has struggled against Brazil, with just four wins in 37 previous meetings. They have never beaten the Seleção on Brazilian soil, making a victory in this match a historic achievement. Raphinha will be one to watch for Brazil, having scored three goals in his last three international appearances, including one in the reverse fixture. Jhon Durán, meanwhile, will need to be careful, having been booked four times in this World Cup qualification cycle.
The match promises to be a closely contested affair, with the pair’s last 17 head-to-heads all being settled by a maximum of a one-goal margin. Brazil’s defense has been solid of late, with the team not conceding two or more goals in any of their last 11 matches.
With so much at stake, both teams will be looking to take all three points and boost their World Cup qualification hopes. Will Brazil’s resurgence under Júnior continue, or can Colombia pull off a historic victory on Brazilian soil?
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