Big Match Breakdown: Brazil v Costa Rica

Key Battles

Costa Rica are going to have to come up with a minor miracle to stop Selecao notching maximum points. It’ll certainly help if Neymar doesn’t make it.

But Brazil have an embarrassment of riches in attack. Ramirez will need to play with a low block in a bid to frustrate Coutinho and co. Switzerland did a good job of it.

And Costa Rica are a solid outfit defensively, at least. It’ll be a backs-to-the-wall job Oscar Duarte and co. at the back. But if they can pack the defense, Gabriel Jesus will be starved of time and space.

Width will be needed for Brazil, and that will mean Marcelo and Danilo bombing forward.

Match Odds

Brazil are heavy favourites at 1/4, with Costa Rica way out at 20/1. The Draw is available at 11/2.

Selecao didn’t look overly fluid against the Swiss. And Costa Rica will present more of the same in terms of solidity.

If the Brazilians are to up it here, and Neymar does play, they’ll need the PSG ace to quicken the tempo. He took too much out of the ball in the opener and slowed the play.

As a unit, Selecao do look solid themselves and have kept 16 clean sheets under new boss, Tite. Brazil to win and Under 2.5 Goals is 19/10. And Brazil to win to Nil is 8/13.

Coutinho managed a superb curler in the first game against the Swiss. And another wonder strike might be needed to break down a tough Costa Rican backline.

The former Liverpool ace is 7/5 to net Anytime, and 9/2 to be First Goalscorer. Neymar is 12/5 in the latter market.

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All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing