Bet365 is the best bookmaker to bet on this game!

Bolivia – Brazil (World Cup 2018)

Bolivia and Brazil will be face to face this Thursday night at the Estadio Hernandes Siles, in La Paz, for the 17th round of the South American qualifying campaign to the 2018 World Cup. The hosts arrive here only meet the schedule, since they no longer have any chance of qualifying to the World Cup in 2018. Brazil, on their turn, also arrives here with no more objectives to fulfill, but for different reasons, since they are already qualified for the World Cup, leading this stage of the competition with 10 points clear of 2nd place.

Bolivia are in 9th place with 13 points, result of 4 wins, 1 draw and 11 defeats, with 14 goals scored and 34 goals conceded. Bolivia wants to participate in a World Cup once again, something that they have not been able to do since 1994, and it seems that it won’t be this year they will be able to do it, with the team being 11 points away form the qualification spots. The majority of La Verde’s players play in the top tier of Bolivian football, representing mainly Jorge Wilstermann or The Strongest, which thus transmits some lack of quality and competitive rhythm comparing to national teams like Brazil, that has some of the best players in the world. Still, there is one factor in favor of Bolivia in this match, which is the altitude in which the match will take place, a factor that often influences the overall performance of the visitors during the match, and benefits the home side. It is important to mention that with 34 goals conceded, La Verde is the 2nd worst defense of the qualifying phase, and faces here the best attack of the same.

In their 4 official matches played this year, Bolivia has a record of 2 victories and 2 defeats. This sequence of results started with a 1-0 defeat against Colombia. This result was followed by a 2-0 win against Argentina, a 2-1 defeat against Peru, and in their last round, a 1-0 win over Chile.

Probable Lineup: Lampe – Zenteno, Raldes e Valverde – Bejarano, Campos, Justiniano e Flores – Escobar, Moreno e Arce.

Brazil, on their turn, are in 1st place with 37 points, result of 11 wins, 4 draws and 1 defeat, with 38 goals scored and 11 goals conceded. The ambitions are very different between these two teams, while Bolivia seeks access to a World Cup for the first time in 1994, Brazil seeks to return to their glory days, not being able to become World Champions since 2002, and also seeking to redeem themselves for the humiliation suffered back in 2014, where they hosted the World Cup and got absolutely trashed by Germany in the semi-finals.

Since Tite took over that this team only knows what it is like to win, failing only to win one match, in the last round against Colombia, and have been showing a superb defensive organization and an overwhelming attack. Neymar is the 3rd top scorer of this qualifying round with 6 goals scored, and the most influential player of all these national teams, having already 7 assists, more than any other player in this competition.

In their last 4 official games played this year, Brazil has a record of 3 victories and 1 draw. This sequence of results started with a 1-4 win against Uruguay. This result was followed by 3-0 win over Paraguay, a 2-0 win against Equator, and in their last round, a 1-1 draw against Colombia.

Probable Lineup: Ederson – Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos e Jorge – Fernandinho, Renato Augusto e Paulinho – Willian, Jesus e Neymar.

Bolivia have only won 2 of their last 8 direct clashes, drawing 2 and losing the remaining 4.

Without any doubt, Brazil has a much more talented and organized national team than their opponents. Still, playing in Bolivia is not and easy task for any opponent thanks to the altitude where the games takes place. This should be a match with goal opportunities for both sides.