Host nation Brazil are hoping to overcome the next hurdle that stands between them and the Copa America trophy, they face Paraguay at Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre on Friday in the first quarter-final match of this year's competition. Brazil have beaten Paraguay 3-0 at home in their World Cup qualifying match in 2017, but that was after the reverse fixture had ended 2-2. Moreover, Paraguay knocked Brazil out of the Copa America on penalties in the quarter-finals both in 2011 and in 2015. Overall, Brazil have won just two of their last six matches against Paraguay.
Brazil have not won the Copa America since 2007, and that's a very long drought for a team that has won four of the last eight editions of the competition. This time they seem capable of going all the way, especially since they are also the hosts of the tournament. They started the competition with a cool 3-0 victory over Bolivia, then got held to an unlikely goalless draw by Venezuela, and eventually turned on the style in a 5-0 thumping of Peru. Casemiro is suspended for the quarter-final match, while fellow central midfielder Fernandinho is out injured.
Paraguay have won the Copa America on two occasions, but both happened quite a few years ago: in 1953 and 1979. Since then they never managed to reach another final, but make the semi-finals twice and also the quarter-finals on most editions of the tournament. This time they qualified for the last eight without having won any of their group-stage matches. They kicked things off with a 2-2 draw against Qatar, then did well to grab a 1-1 draw against Argentina, and ended the group with a 1-0 defeat against Colombia. With that kind of form they are heavy underdogs against Brazil, but they will surely fight to push the game into extra-time and maybe a penalty shoot-out.
Probable line-ups:
Brazil: Alisson - Alves, Marquinhos, T. Silva, Luis - Arthur, Allan - Jesus, Coutinho, Everton - Firmino
Paraguay: Fernandes - Piris, Alonso, Gomez, Arzamendia - Gonzalez, R. Rojas, Sanchez, M. Rojas - Almiron - Cardozo
My prediction:
Brazil to win 2-0, Paraguay are not an easy side to play against but it seems they are lacking their usual strength at this tournament.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Brazil win - 1.16
Draw - 7.00
Paraguay win - 15.00
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