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Brazil will face Bolivia in the opening round of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers on Saturday. Brazil, the five-time World Cup winners, are the clear favorites in this matchup against Bolivia, a team with one of the worst away records in international football.
The match holds significance for Brazil as they aim to secure their sixth World Cup title in the upcoming 2026 finals. After a shocking quarter-final exit at the hands of Croatia in the 2022 World Cup, manager Tite stepped down, leaving Fernando Diniz in charge until Carlo Ancelotti takes over next year.
Brazil’s qualification record is impressive, having qualified for every World Cup and winning all eight of their home matches in the last qualification campaign. In fact, since 1998, Brazil has only dropped two points at home in World Cup qualifying and has never lost a home qualifier in history.
On the other hand, Bolivia has struggled to perform in away qualifiers, with their last away win dating back to 1993. In the 64 away qualifiers since then, Bolivia has failed to secure a single victory and has lost 55 matches. However, Bolivia did manage to hold Brazil to a 0-0 draw in the 2010 qualifiers and famously beat them at home in the same campaign.
Despite Bolivia’s previous success against Brazil, the current circumstances heavily favor the Selecao. Brazil boasts a squad filled with talent, including Neymar, who is involved despite his recent move to Al-Hilal. The Brazil squad also features several Premier League players, such as Alisson, Ederson, Joelinton, and Bruno Guimaraes.
Bolivia, on the other hand, has a few injury concerns heading into the match and has left out key players such as Danny Bejarano and Ramiro Vaca. Marcelo Moreno, Bolivia’s captain, will look to inspire his team as he faces the nation he famously scored against in the 2010 qualifiers.
In terms of predictions, it is expected that Brazil will dominate the match and secure a comfortable victory. Given Bolivia’s poor away record and Brazil’s formidable form at home, a 5-0 victory for Brazil seems likely. Additionally, expert tipsters predict that there will be under 2.5 goals in the match.
Overall, Brazil is the overwhelming favorite in this World Cup qualifying clash against Bolivia. With their strong home record and a talented squad, Brazil is expected to secure a convincing win as they begin their quest for a sixth World Cup title.
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Preview: Brazil vs. Bolivia – prediction, team news, lineups
