Brazil banners a solid field in Group E that also has Switzerland, Costa Rica, and Serbia. Can Brazil live up to the hype and annihilate the competition in the group?
It’s been four years since Brazil were nearly left for dead in their own country, but the pain of their debacle in 2014 is still very much felt today, so expect Canarinha to come into Russia smoking. And they very well should, as Brazil boasts of a loaded group of offensive talent with Neymar acting as the face of the team’s attack that showered their opponents in the qualifiers with 41 goals in 18 points. They also defeated fellow South American superpower Argentina to the tune of a 3-0 score on their way to securing a spot in Russia. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City), Douglas Costa (Juventus), and Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) also add incredible support up front for Brazil, who are -300 to take Group E by storm.
Don’t act like you’re surprised if you see Switzerland making a deep run in Russia. Powered by a group of skilled players who was part of the 2009 Under-17 team that won the World Cup, the Swiss have a reason to believe that they’re better than a team who’d go home after the group stages. Priced +550 to top the field in Group E. With the talent they have, including midfielders Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City) and Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) and defender Ricardo Rodriguez, Switzerland may struggle against a superpower like Brazil, but they should have enough talent to rattle Costa Rica and Serbia.
Serbia (+1,600) barges into Russia bannered with a collection of experienced players, as many of their starters are 29 or older. That being said, there is not a shortage of young legs among the Serbians with the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Andrija Zivkovic, Marko Grujic, Nemanja Maksimovic, Milos Veljkovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic all listed 23 years or younger. Mitrovic is the man to watch for the White Eagles having found the back of the net 20 times during play in their qualifying group .
Costa Rica were a mild surprise in the previous edition of the World Cup, as they managed to make it all the way into the quarterfinals, only getting bounced out when Netherlands beat them via penalty shootout. Plenty of the pieces that helped Los Ticos make a Cinderella run in Brazil are back. Among them is dependable goalie Keylor Navas, who’s always a threat to record a clean sheet. He may not be able to to pull such a feat against Brazil, but he’s good enough to avoid Costa Rica from getting embarrassed by any team in the group. Anything can happen for a squad with a great netminder. The Costa Ricans are +1,600 to win Group E.
Key Game – Switzerland vs Costa Rica (June 27)
Assuming that Brazil live up to lofty expectations and breezes through group play, who will be with them into the round of 16 might be decided in the last match in the group between Switzerland and Costa Rica.
Writer’s Prediction
Brazil finishes first followed, in order, by Costa Rica, Switzerland, Serbia
