Brazil VS Costa Rica Match Prediction

  • Logo2018-06-22
  • Logo12:00:00
Brazil
VS
Costa Rica

Our Prediction Tip

Brazil will win this match.

In ten previous matches between Brazil and Costa Rica, the Selecao have won nine of them, including eight in a row. Those wins include a 1-0 victory at World Cup 1990 and an entertaining 5-2 success in 2002. Most recent, Brazil won a 2015 friendly 1-0 though less than half their starting line-up that day.

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Brazil vs Costa Rica Stats

Brazil have conceded just two goals in their last 12 matches, and have not lost any of them

Philippe Coutinho has scored two goals in two Brazil matches

Costa Rica have lost seven of their last nine matches in all competitions

Brazil have won their last eight matches in a row against Costa Rica, and nine out of ten in total.

Brazil vs Costa Rica Betting Tips

Will Neymar play, or won’t he? Just as that was the question which dominated Brazil’s pre-tournament agenda, it also now dominates ahead of the match with Costa Rica. And yet, Brazil should be able to cope without their star man for this fixture if needed.

Philippe Coutinho has two goals in two games, Gabriel Jesus is a threat up front and their attacking strength in depth is so good that Douglas Costa and Roberto Firmino sit on the bench.

Costa Rica on the other hand have been on a poor run of form ahead of the World Cup and defeat to Serbia in their first match – in which they failed to really trouble their opponents – was a continuation of that.

They also have a poor record against Brazil – a run of eight straight defeats including two at previous World Cups.

Brazil were frustrated by Switzerland but have plenty of options to change things around if needed – Fernandinho came off the bench, as did Renato Augusto, and there is the aforementioned Costa and Firmino too as options.

Against Costa Rica, they really should be taking all three points – drawing with Switzerland was a blow but nothing like a disaster, and a comfortable win will see them continue as favourites for the tournament.

Defensively they have been excellent recently too – Steven Zuber’s goal the first conceded in more than five matches – and Costa Rica will struggle to break them down.

Brazil should win, they are good enough to win to nil and they should win comfortably – with or without Neymar.

Brazil vs Costa Rica Recommended bets with odds

Brazil are big favourites to beat Costa Rica – the odds on Los Ticos are as high as 20/1 (Betfair), while the best price available on a Brazil win is just 2/9 with Ladbrokes.

As mentioned, given their good recent defensive record, they should be winning to nil too – and that does improve those odds to 4/6 with Ladbrokes. Betting against BTTS will return 1/2 with Betfair.

Costa Rica’s poor recent form is ominous for the North Americans, meanwhile. You can get just 3/4 from Betfair on there being over 2.5 goals in Friday’s game. A three-goal winning margin is 4/1 with Betway, meanwhile.

Philippe Coutinho has two goals in his last two Brazil appearances, and the Barcelona man is 17/10 with Betfair and Paddy Power to make it three in a row. Gabriel Jesus is just 4/6 to score at any time with Bet365 but he is worth backing.

Brazil vs Costa Rica Top three bets

1) Brazil to win to nil at 4/6 with Ladbrokes
2) Total goals = over 2.5 at 3/4 with Betfair
3) Gabriel Jesus to score at any time at 4/6 with Bet365

Brazil vs Costa Rica Prediction

Brazil are perfectly capable of getting back to winning ways after their draw with Switzerland. These two are in completely opposite positions on the form chart at the moment, and Brazil can take advantage with a solid win.

Correct score prediction: Brazil 3-0 Costa Rica

Correct score best odds: 6/1 (Bet365)

 

Brazil Team News

 Neymar was a doubt to face Costa Rica after hobbling out of training, having been on the receiving end of some rough treatment against Switzerland, but Brazil’s superstar has recovered in time to take his place in what Tite has said will be an unchanged line-up. Paulinho and Thiago Silva also missed a session in the week but have also recovered, meaning Marquinhos and Fernandinho remain on the bench.

Brazil Key Players

Neymar (forward)- If fit, Neymar is clearly Brazil’s most important player – the 26-year-old has already scored 55 international goals in 86 appearances and was in top form domestically before his season-ending injury.

Gabriel Jesus (forward) – Gabriel Jesus will be the man tasked with stepping up. He scored his tenth international goal on just his 17th appearance prior to the tournament – one of the other nine was the winner against Germany.

Philippe Coutinho (midfielder/forward) - Scored a brilliant opening goal in the draw with Switzerland - the Barcelona man’s second in two consecutive matches.

Alisson (goalkeeper) – One of the most sought-after goalkeepers in world football after his heroics helped Roma to the Champions League semi-finals and inspired Brazil’s dominant qualifying campaign.

Brazil Last Match Result

Brazil 1-1 Switzerland (Coutinho)

Philippe Coutinho’s brilliant strike had given Brazil team a deserved lead against Switzerland, but a Swiss equaliser after the break derailed the Brazilian charge and they began to grow frustrated. Rough treatment from the Swiss defenders on the likes of Neymar disrupted their rhythm and they could not find a winning goal.

Brazil Team Form

The last team to stop Brazil from winning prior to the draw with Switzerland was England, in a 0-0 draw at Wembley in November. In between, Brazil won four games in a row, all without conceding – defeating Russia 3-0, beating Germany thanks to Gabriel Jesus’ lone strike, watching Neymar return with a goal in a 2-0 win against Croatia and then signing off with a 3-0 win against Austria – Neymar, Jesus and Philippe Coutinho scoring. Coutinho scored Brazil’s goal in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland too.

Brazil Predicted Starting Line up

Expected Line up: 4-3-3

Costa Rica Team News

Fit-again Joel Campbell is fighting to start against Brazil after only featuring from the bench in the defeat to Serbia. Johan Venegas could be the man to miss out. Elsewhere, Johnny Acosta and Francisco Calvo were both given the nod, as Kendall Waston and Bryan Oviedo were relegated to being unused subs.

Costa Rica Key Players

Bryan Ruiz (forward) – His goal in the defeat to Belgium ahead of the tournament was the Costa Rican captain’s 24th for Los Ticos in what is now 111 caps.

Keylor Navas (goalkeeper) – Fresh from Real Madrid’s Champions League win, keeper Keylor Navas will have his work cut out against the Brazilians.

Celso Borges (midfield) – Aged just 30, Celso Borges has more caps than anyone else in the Costa Rica squad (112), while only Bryan Ruiz has scored more than his 21 – though both are some way off the national record.

Costa Rica Last Match Result

Serbia 1-0 Costa Rica

Costa Rica failed to really threaten Serbia as a second-half Aleksandar Kolarov free-kick consigned Los Ticos to a 1-0 defeat to continue their poor recent run of form. Serbia created the better chances – both before and after scoring – but could not increase the scoreline, which arguably flattered Costa Rica at full-time.

Costa Rica Team Form

Costa Rica have lost seven of their last nine matches in all, including a run of three straight defeats since beating Northern Ireland 3-0. England won 2-0 in Leeds after that, before a 4-1 thrashing – despite Bryan Ruiz opening the scoring – against Belgium. Costa Rica then got their World Cup campaign up and running with defeat to Serbia, courtesy of Kolarov’s free-kick.

Costa Rica Predicted Starting Line up

Expected Line up: 3-4-3

Brazil looked to be cruising against Switzerland until they conceded a second-half equaliser, but now the tournament favourites need to bounce back if they are to live up to that tag. Neymar is a doubt, but Brazil have strength in depth – as they proved in his recent injury absence – and boast a brilliant record against Costa Rica too, which they should extend on Friday.
Brazil have won their last eight games against Costa Rica and have only lost once in the ten previous meetings between the two nations - way back in 1960.

About Brazil vs Costa Rica Match

Five-time World Cup winners Brazil could only take a point from their opening Group E game against Switzerland at the 2018 World Cup, but the tournament favourites face Costa Rica in their second match – a team they have beaten twice before at the World Cup. Taking place in St Petersburg’s Krestovsky Stadium on Friday June 22, the game is schedule to kick off at 3pm local time.