The South American World Cup qualifiers continue on Thursday with a key match in Brasilia. Brazil will play against Colombia as both teams aim to secure their place in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Both teams are currently in a good position to qualify. Colombia is fourth and Brazil is fifth in the standings. The top six teams automatically qualify, and the seventh-place team can reach the intercontinental playoffs for another chance to qualify. Brazil is currently five points ahead of seventh-place Bolivia and six points ahead of eighth-place Venezuela. Colombia is slightly ahead, being one point better than Brazil in both categories.
With six games remaining, both Brazil and Colombia are expected to qualify. Brazil has improved after a shaky start to the qualifiers. They were sixth after six games with only two wins. However, they have since added three more wins in their last six matches. Despite this improvement, Brazil has shown some vulnerability. Although Neymar is still injured and won’t play this month, Brazil still has talented players like Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo from Real Madrid, and Raphinha from Barcelona. This Brazilian team has often underperformed, making this game crucial for coach Dorival Junior.
Brazil’s current situation gives Colombia a good opportunity to achieve a significant victory, especially after their 2-1 win against Brazil in November 2023. Colombia, who were Copa America finalists last year, are led by Luis Diaz. Diaz has scored two goals in his last six games for the national team, but his recent club form has been less impressive. He has only scored once in his last 18 games for Liverpool. This match could be a chance for him to regain his form, or it could be a further sign of his dip in form.
Match Details
- Date: Thursday, March 20
- Location: Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha — Brasília, Brazil
Projected Lineups
Brazil: Alisson, Vanderson, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Arana, Gerson, Guimaraes, Rodrygo, Raphinha, Vinicius, Cunha
Colombia: Vargas, Munoz, Lucumi, Sanchez, Mojica, Portilla, Arias, Rodriguez, Diaz, Duran
Prediction
Colombia defeated Brazil in November 2023 during a period when Colombia was on a long unbeaten run. However, since the Copa America, Colombia’s form has been inconsistent. This inconsistency could be an opportunity for Brazil to win, despite their own up-and-down performances. It’s likely that one of Brazil’s talented attacking players will make the difference and secure a vital win. Prediction: Brazil 1, Colombia 0
