Brazil VS South Africa Match Prediction

Brazil have won on all three occasions they have played South Africa before, with the South American side not conceding a single goal in those matches.

A meeting at the 2009 Confederations Cup resulted in a 1-0 win to Brazil, with the same scoreline repeated in a 2012 friendly. 

The most recent fixture between Brazil and South Africa saw the South Americans romp to an easy 5-0 victory.

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Brazil v South Africa: Prediction

Brazil are strong favourites to take gold, but they struggled under the pressure at the World Cup on home soil two years ago, with Neymar in particular remembering that heartbreak well. 

South Africa should not pose many issues for the hosts here, with a good start key to their hopes of glory. The Brazil squad looks heavily reliant on Neymar, but he is certainly good enough to handle the hopes of the nation.

Brazil v South Africa: Betting Tips

Brazil are very short-priced favourites for this game, with odds of 1/10 making it clear how the bookmakers expect this game to go. Football fans who believe South Africa can pull off a massive shock can take either the 18/1 on a South Africa win, the draw odds of 13/2, or back South Africa on the double chance market at a price of 18/5. Brazil are 2/5 to lead at half-time, which looks to be one of the best ways to back the favourites here, while 11/2 on a 3-0 win to Brazil also appeals.

Neymar is by far and away the biggest star in the Brazil squad, with the Barcelona forward opting to miss the Copa America earlier in the summer so that he could instead compete in the Olympic Games. How Neymar copes with the pressure of the nation's hopes and expectations could well dictate how well they are able to perform at their home Olympics.

Elsewhere in the squad, the overage slots are taken up by Palmeiras goalkeeper and Fernando Prass and Renato Augusto of Beijing Guoan, with most of the team playing their football in Brazil. The Olympics are therefore these players' opportunity to shine on a global stage.

Brazil likely XI:

Prass, Garcia, Marquinhos, Zeca, Santos, Rafinha, Augusto, Maia, Dourado, Neymar, Anderson.

Among the big-priced outsiders for the gold medal, South Africa are not expected to perform well at the Games, with most pundits predicting they will prove to be there to make up the numbers.

Itumeleng Khune and Mulomowandau Mathoho - both of whom play their club football in their home nation for Kaizer Chiefs - are the overage players in the squad, with Tyroane Sandows of Sao Paulo a potential breakout star at the tournament.

South Africa likely XI:

Khune, Mathoho, Coetzee, Mngonyama, Moerane, Modiba, Masuku, Sandows, Motupa, Ntshangase, Dolly, Mothiba.

Although Brazil\'s squad does not have a lot of household names aside from Neymar, they should still have more than enough to beat a weak-looking South Africa team. Neymar will relish the chance to lead a young side and he can be the inspiration the home nation needs to claim glory at the Olympic Games. Brazil to get off to a winning start with an easy victory.

South Africa have yet to score a single goal against Brazil in three attempts to date.