Forecast: Brazilian Showdown against Paraguay
Brazil is set to host Paraguay in the 16th matchday of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers at Arena Corinthians on Tuesday night. The Selecao find themselves in a challenging position, having gone winless in back-to-back qualifiers for the third time in this campaign.
Carlo Ancelotti's debut as Brazil head coach didn't start with a victory, as they drew with Ecuador, failing to bounce back from a 4-1 loss to Argentina. However, Brazil has shown resilience at home, currently on a four-game unbeaten run, with three wins. Casemiro is expected to keep his place in midfield for Brazil.
Meanwhile, Paraguay, who climbed above Brazil in the qualifying standings after securing a 2-0 victory over Uruguay, is on an impressive run. Their unbeaten streak extends to nine matches, including five wins. Antonio Sanabria, Paraguay's joint-top scorer with four goals, did not score in the last match, but Julio Enciso did, scoring a late penalty and his third goal of the qualifiers. Enciso aims to continue his strong form against Brazil.
Paraguay's resilience on the road suggests they could frustrate the hosts again and come away with a valuable point in CONMEBOL qualifying. A positive result in Sao Paulo could seal a place at the 2026 World Cup for Paraguay, provided Venezuela fail to beat Uruguay. Paraguay is currently occupying the Inter-confederation playoff spot, closer to a first World Cup appearance since South Africa 2010.
Paraguay's squad appears to be in good health, with Alfaro's men appearing to come through the Uruguay clash without any injury concerns, meaning he should have a near-full squad available for Tuesday. On the other hand, Antony and Matheus Cunha may be introduced in place of Estevao Willian and Richarlison for Brazil.
Vinicius Junior, who has only one goal in qualifying, will be eager to deliver a standout performance amid criticism of his international form. The verdict for the match, according to ZetBet, is a draw, with best odds at 17/5. For the most accurate and up-to-date predicted outcome and best odds for the match, it is recommended to check ZetBet’s official website or their betting platform directly.
Team news for the upcoming CONMEBOL qualifier sees Brazil looking to Casemiro to maintain his midfield role, while Antony and Matheus Cunha could replace Estevao Willian and Richarlison. On the other hand, Paraguay's squad appears to be in good health, with no injury concerns following their victory over Uruguay, and they aim to continue their impressive run in European-leagues football against the Premier-league contenders, Brazil.
