World Cup 2022: The Samba Boys are Ready to Dance in Qatar

Brazil vs Serbia

Five-time champions Brazil come into World Cup 2022 as the huge favourites to win it all and they’ll kick off their Group G campaign when they take on Serbia at the Lusail Stadium on Thursday.

But don’t expect Serbia to fold that easily since they come to Qatar in great spirits and they’re aiming to sustain their European form here in football’s showpiece event, even if their World Cup history is not on their side.

Here at SBOTOP, we previously listed these two nations as the favourites to claim the top two spots in Group G, so this is quite the mouthwatering clash that football fans can look forward to.

Talking Points

Tite has many options to choose from

Brazil have rarely struggled in the World Cup group stage, and that’s not going to change since they boast arguably the deepest roster in this tournament.

With a clean bill of health, Tite has a fully-fit squad to choose from, and several reports indicate that he can employ either a 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 formation.

Alisson Becker is likely to man the goal post with Ederson ready to deputise, and he’ll be shielded by the back four of Danilo, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro, and skipper Thiago Silva.

Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta are expected to link up in midfield, while Neymar will reprise his No. 10 role. And he’ll be a central figure to their success since he’s been in phenomenal form this season with PSG.

But the most dangerous area on the pitch for Brazil is in the final third, and opposing coaches would love to switch places with Tite given the smorgasbord of talent that he has at his disposal.

Tite can mix it up every game and not skip a beat since he has the likes of Raphinha, Vinicius Junior, Richarlison, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Antony, who are all capable of producing numerous World Cup 2022 highlights in Qatar.

In terms of form, Brazil are on a seven-game winning run so they’re peaking at the right time heading into Qatar.

Serbia have a great chance to advance

There’s a sense of optimism that Serbia can finally reach the knockout phase for the first time ever since gaining independence in 1990. Like Brazil, Serbia come into Qatar in fine form since they’ve only suffered two losses in their last 16 matches across all competitions.

The Serbians can go far in this tournament since they’re stable in midfield and up front, but their backline still has question marks.

Nikola Milenkovic, Stefan Mitrovic, Strahinja Pavlovic, and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic will all have their hands full against Brazil, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Nemanja Gudelj, Nemanja Maksimovic, and Filip Kostic will do their best to break up their opponent’s play in the middle of the park.

Up front, they will be spearheaded by Ajax’s Dusan Tadic and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, and they’re hoping that Fulham hitman Aleksander Mitrovic is fully healed from his foot injury. 

History

Brazil have defeated Serbia in each of their two previous encounters. They won 2-0 against them in the World Cup group stage before in 2018, and the other one was a 1-0 result in a friendly back in June 2014.

Brazil have a rich history here in the World Cup as they’re the only nation who has participated in every single tournament since 1930. This is going to be their 22^nd appearance.

The Samba Boys are also undefeated in their last 15 World Cup group matches (W12, D3), with their last defeat dating back to 1998 against Norway. They’ve also managed to top their groups in every single World Cup since 1982.

Serbia have now qualified for four of the last five World Cups, with their last miss in 2014. However, since 2006, they’ve lost seven of their nine World Cup games in total – which is the most defeats by a European country and only one less than Australia’s eight.

Betting Tip 

The World Cup 2022 odds, unsurprisingly, back Brazil for this one. The Samba Boys are installed at 1.49, while Serbia are the big underdogs at 6.20 and a draw is at 4.20 in the 1X2 market.

Serbia can score a goal or two but their inconsistencies at the back is going to be a recipe for disaster upon taking on a swashbuckling Brazil side.

Furthermore, Over 2.50 @ 2.25 is an offer that’s in the cards since it’ll give you a great payout, while Total Goal 4-6 @ 2.44 is another one worth considering.

 

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