Brazil is no longer the powerhouse they used to be and with Vinicius Junior suspended the value is in backing Uruguay for an outright win along with the full-time correct score 2-1.
Analysis:
Uruguay qualified for the knockouts in flying colors winning three out of three games in the group stage. They scored 9 goals, the highest number of goals in the group stage at this edition and three clean sheets means they are the only side yet to concede a goal after Argentina conceded late against Ecuador in the quarter finals.
Marcelo Bielsa aka El Loco is back in the bench after serving a one-match suspension and has already guided the team to some historic results.
Back in November, Uruguay defeated Argentina 2-0 in the World Cup qualifiers, their first h2h win against Messi’s men since 2013 and the first in Argentine soil since 1937. A month before that they defeated Brazil by the same scoreline and that was their first against the Selecao in 22 years.
Meanwhile, Brazil struggled in the group stage as the 4-1 win against Paraguay is the only result worth mentioning. They eventually finished second in the group with a lackluster goal-less draw against Costa Rica and a lucky stalemate against Colombia sandwiched between it.
Truth to be told, this Brazil team is yet to find the fluidity in most aspects of play and this cost the dearly in the final third. While defense looked brittle as never before and there is a high risk of quick turnarounds and counterattacks when they are on the opposite end of the field.
