Brasil e Paraguai buscam a primeira vaga nas semifinais

Brazil and Paraguay will meet on Thursday the first quarter final of CONMEBOL Copa América Brazil 2019, will be a meeting with history and passion, also, a game of uncertain prediction, where the team with the most intelligence and the fewest errors will dominate.

The match will take place at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, when the clock in Brazil at 21:30hrs. In case of a draw in the minute 90, the place in the semi-finals will be defined from the penalty kick.

Without balance

For coach Adenor Bacchi ‘Tite’, Casemiro is a central piece of his team in the middle of the field. Since the Real Madrid midfielder was part of the principal team, Brazil has not been defeated.

Besides of being a lucky charm, Casemiro gives the Canarinha the necessary balance between defense and attack, but a suspension due to the accumulation of yellow cards will not allow him to face Paraguay.

The Brazilian coach would opt for Fernandinho to replace Casemiro in midfield. The only doubt in the host team, which found in Everton, Gremio player, the inconsistency and conceded goals in the absence of Neymar.

Everton will play in the stadium where every Sunday he makes the local fans vibrate. An incentive that will be used by Tite in the match against the Guaranies. On the right, Gabriel Jesus is now the alternative to Richarlison. In the center, Roberto Firmino remains unquestionable.

Brazil reached the quarterfinals after being first in Group A (7 points). In the first round they beat Bolivia 3-0, drew with Venezuela 0-0 and beat Peru 5-0.

– Never give up –

Paraguay arrived at this stage without any triumphs. Two 2-2 draws with Qatar and 1-1 with Argentina, besides a 1-0 loss against Colombia, meant Paraguay have two points in Group B.

The History has been nice with the «Albirroja» in the last CONMEBOL Copa América appearances against Brazil and precisely in the quarterfinals, they have been successful from the penalties (2011 and 2015).

Defensive strength will be essential for Paraguay. If they can resist Brazil’s attacks, they will have a good chance of reaching the goal with their fast attackers such as Miguel Almirón or Derlis González, who have already impressed against Argentina.

For the coach Eduardo Berizzo, the game will be concentrated in the Paraguayan zone, but if we can get out of that pressure, Paraguay has «team and the football to face the quarter-finals with self-confidence, but we shouldn’t make mistakes in any of our lines».

Statistics of Brazil vs. Paraguay

·         The last time Brazil and Paraguay met in CONMEBOL Copa América was also on June 27 and for the quarterfinals; it happened in 2015 and La Albirroja passed to the semifinals by penalties.

·         Paraguay now has four games without defeat against Brazil in CONMEBOL Copa América (1V 3E); the most recent were two draws in the quarterfinals and La Albirroja advanced on penalties.

·         Brazil lost just two of their 38 matches at home to Paraguay in all competitions (26V 10E); those defeats were in August 2002 (0-1) by a friendly, and in May 1949 (1-2) by CONMEBOL Copa América.

·         Brazil will play in the quarterfinals of CONMEBOL Copa América for the tenth time since the current format is disputed (1993); it did not happen only in the previous edition (2016).

·         Brazil have three games in an unbeaten streak in the CONMEBOL Copa América (2V 1E); it is their longest streak in the competition since 1997 (3V).

·         Paraguay are the first team to pass the groups stage of a CONMEBOL Copa América with just two points, since three points are awarded for each victory (1995).

·         Paraguay won just one of its last 20 CONMEBOL Copa América matches (11 draws, 8 defeats); the only victory was 1-0 over Jamaica in 2015. In any case, they achieved the final in 2011 and the semifinals in 2015.

·         Paraguay has not won a CONMEBOL Copa América quarter-final match (4 draws, 4 defeats); however, it eliminated Brazil on penalties on its last two occasions (2011 and 2015).

Possible line-ups:

Brasil: Alisson – Dani Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Filipe Luis – Arthur, Philippe Coutinho, Fernandinho – Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino y Everton.
Coach: Tite

Paraguay: Roberto Fernández – Iván Piris, Gustavo Gómez, Junior Alonso, Santiago Arzamendia – Derlis Gonzalez, Rodrigo Rojas, Miguel Almirón, Richard Sánchez, Matís Rojas – Oscar Cardozo.
Coach: Eduardo Berizzo.

Stadium: Arena do Gremio (Porto Alegre)

Referee: Roberto Tobar (Chile)

Time: 21:30hrs, Brasilia