This has been a breathtaking World Cup to watch so far in Brazil, and two of the stars of the tournament will headline one of Friday’s quarterfinal match-ups. Neymar will lead the hosts into a highly anticipated game against Colombia and James Rodríguez. Even if you didn’t know that name before this World Cup, you definitely should by now.
World Cup Odds: Brazil -115, Colombia +305, Draw +285
Odds To Advance: Brazil -220, Colombia +185
Why Brazil Can Win
Brazil has yet to play their best game, and even though we have seen glimpses of it, we haven’t see a full 90 minutes from the five-time World Cup champs. If they put it together, they can beat any team in the tournament. Neymar has been up to the challenge of leading the team, and Hulk even played better in their shootout win over Chile, although he still has room to improve. They have been surprisingly good at the back, and it looks like Fernandinho has taken Paulinho’s spot in front of the defense, while David Luiz even scored his first international goal against Chile.
Luiz Felipe Scolari has a decision to make, however, as Fred has been atrocious throughout the tournament. Will Scolari go with Jo, who hasn’t been much better? Will he change formations, or just stick with Fred?
Why Colombia Can Win
Everyone knew Neymar was great, but only hardcore soccer fans knew about James. He has been the player of the tournament so far with five goals, including a contender for goal of the World Cup for his first of two in a 2-0 win over Uruguay. While people counted out Colombia when it was revealed that Falcao would miss the World Cup, James has picked up the torch for the injured striker – whom he also plays with at Monaco – and the team has rolled on. This is another reason that Colombia is a threat to Brazil: this team has played with a chip on their shoulder as everyone has written them off.
That being said, the pressure has been ramped up for Colombia as they’re in the quarterfinals for the first time; by comparison, Brazil is here for the sixth World Cup in a row and have plenty of history to draw from. Nerves will be a major obstacle for Colombia.
Outlook
Colombia hasn’t had much success against Brazil, who have won seven and drawn six against their fellow South Americans. Colombia beat Brazil 2-0 in the 1991 edition of the Copa America, then Brazil paid them back by the same scoreline later in the tournament when the stakes were higher. While they have met plenty of times in qualifiers, this is their first meeting at the World Cup. Colombia has been a great story and teams in Europe will be falling over themselves to try and lure James away from Monaco, but they aren’t quite there yet as Brazil continues to improve at the right time.
Pick: Brazil
