Jump to content
Sports Interactive Community

Round of 16 - Brazil vs Chile (17:00 BST) & Colombia vs Uruguay (21:00 BST)

gillsminnow

By gillsminnow,
in 2014 World Cup Forum

Recommended Posts

gillsminnow

gillsminnow

Posted
Posted
brazil-dau-vs-chile-28-6.png

TEAM NEWS

Brazil defender David Luiz is nursing a slight back problem suffered in training but he is expected to be fit.

Fernandinho is pushing for a starting role in midfield, although Luiz Felipe Scolari said earlier in the week that he has "blind faith" in Paulinho.

Chile defender Gary Medel is a doubt with a muscle strain but, if fit, will keep his place in a full-strength side.

Key midfielder Arturo Vidal will return after being rested for the group stage defeat against the Dutch.

Vidal, Charles Aranguiz, Francisco Silva and Eugenio Mena are all one booking from a ban, along with Brazil quartet Thiago Silva, Ramires, Neymar and Luiz Gustavo.

MATCH PREVIEW

Brazil have never lost at home to Chile in 26 meetings spanning 95 years, but they are all too aware of how difficult it will be to extend that record.

Chile's aggressive pressing and fluid attacking style means that, at their best, they are irresistible to watch and near-impossible to contain. Just ask dethroned world champions Spain.

Chile lost 3-0 to Brazil at the same stage four years ago to the day of this game - their third World Cup defeat out of three meetings between the nations - but Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is not fooled.

"Statistics mean nothing," he said. "I believe since coach (Jorge) Sampaoli arrived, the Chile team have a new dynamism, a much better performance. The players have adapted to the scheme he thinks best and they adapted perfectly."

Scolari has openly admitted he would have preferred not to face Chile, particularly with his side labouring for much of the group stage. The five-time champions are almost obligated to win a sixth title, such is the expectation of them among Brazil's public, and Scolari admitted: "I try to transmit my confidence. But no one can be at ease.

"It is normal for us to feel that we have some problem, something that makes us anxious especially now in the knockout stage where we cannot lose. Not because it is in Brazil but because it is a World Cup. You only get the chance to get to the final if you win."

Chile have not reached the quarter-finals since they hosted the tournament in 1962. However, the current side are not lacking in belief.

Star player Alexis Sanchez said: "We have respect for them, but I think we are going to beat them. We came to this World Cup to make history. We beat the world champions, and although we had a slip-up against Holland, we are going out to try and win the Cup."

Chile certainly have the host nation worried. Coach Sampaoli suspended training on Thursday when a helicopter from Brazilian television station O Globo hovered over the pitch as he was working on tactics. The helicopter eventually took flight but Chile will be vying to ground Brazil on Saturday.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Brazil are unbeaten in their last 12 games (W10, D2) against Chile since a 3-0 away defeat in a World Cup qualifier in August 2000.

• Brazil have won all three World Cup meetings: 4-2 in 1962, 4-1 in 1998 and 3-0 in 2010 exactly four years ago to the day of Saturday's match.

• Chile have only beaten Brazil seven times in 68 attempts, drawing 13 and losing 48. Four of those Chile wins came in competitive matches.

• The nations last met on 20 November 2013 in a friendly in Toronto, when Brazil beat Chile 2-1. Hulk and Robinho scored either side of an Eduardo Vargas equaliser for Chile.

Brazil

• Brazil have won their last five second-round matches at the World Cup since a 1-0 defeat by Argentina in 1990.

• Luiz Felipe Scolari's side have won 11 of their last 12 matches, the exception being a goalless draw with Mexico in the group stage.

• Their only defeat in the last 24 games came against Switzerland last August (W18, D5, L1).

• Brazil are now unbeaten in 40 successive home matches, with their last defeat coming against Paraguay in August 2002.

• Their last competitive defeat at home was 3-1 to Peru in the 1975 Copa America semi-final.

• Neymar has scored 35 goals in 52 appearances for Brazil, including 26 goals in his last 31 caps. He is now sixth on Brazil's all-time top scorer list, trailing only Bebeto (39), Zico (48), Romario (55), Ronaldo (62) and Pele (77).

• According to Prozone statistics, Fred was only in possession of the ball for seven seconds during the victory over Cameroon last time out, despite completing the 90 minutes.

Chile

• Chile have lost each of their previous second-round fixtures at the World Cup, both against Brazil (0-3 in 2010 and 1-4 in 1998).

• They have also been defeated in their previous four World Cup matches against fellow South American sides, conceding at least three goals every match (14 goals in total).

• Their only victory in a World Cup knockout game (excluding the 1962 third-place play-off), was against Soviet Union in the quarter-finals of that tournament.

• Eduardo Vargas has scored in each of his last two appearances for Chile against Brazil, including a goal in Belo Horizonte in April 2013.

colombiavsuruguay.png

TEAM NEWS

Colombia made eight changes for their final group match and will recall key players such as James Rodriguez to the starting line-up.

Teofilo Gutierrez is set to lead the line despite Jackson Martinez scoring twice against Japan, while Carlos Bacca has recovered from a thigh problem.

Uruguay may use Edinson Cavani as a lone striker, though Diego Forlan will hope to replace the banned Luis Suarez.

Captain Diego Lugano could again miss out with a knee injury.

MATCH PREVIEW

While the suspension of Luis Suarez deprives Uruguay of their best player and record scorer, La Celeste can draw hope from the success of last-16 opponents Colombia.

Los Cafeteros lost star striker Radamel Falcao to injury before the tournament began but have been anything but toothless in attack.

Conventional wisdom dictated that the absence of Falcao, who scored nine of their 27 goals in qualifying, would leave Colombia lacking a ruthless touch in front of goal.

Instead they scored nine goals in three group matches, with their shot conversion rate (31%) the best of any team in the first phase of the tournament.

Falcao's injury prompted coach Jose Pekerman to switch from a 4-4-2 formation to 4-2-3-1. So far that system has given more creative license to outstanding attacking midfielders James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado, who have five goals between them in Brazil.

The Colombians scored more goals than the three other teams in Group C combined, but they face a real step-up in class against the streetwise and experienced Uruguayans.

The only previous World Cup match between the sides was won by Uruguay in 1962, when the victors were coached by Juan Carlos Corazzo - the grandfather of current striker Diego Forlan.

Uruguay have also enjoyed the better of recent encounters, winning six of the last eight meetings. That includes Colombia's most recent defeat, a 2-0 loss in a qualifier in Montevideo on 10 September 2013.

On that occasion Edinson Cavani headed the decisive goal. The Paris St-Germain striker often plays second fiddle to Suarez for Uruguay, but he will be a key man on Saturday.

The Uruguayans may draw inspiration from playing this game in Rio, scene of the greatest win in their history.

Alcides Ghiggia's winner against Brazil in the final game of the 1950 tournament famously silenced the Maracana.

Saturday's atmosphere may not be quite so partisan, yet the travelling Uruguayan fans are likely to be greatly outnumbered by their Colombian counterparts and most neutrals can be expected to side with Pekerman's adventurous team.

That will only serve to inspire the Uruguayans. Victory for La Celeste would not match the shock value of the "Maracanazo", but would be almost as satisfying for a team convinced they have been unfairly treated by Fifa.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Colombia's first World Cup match was a 2-1 defeat by Uruguay in Chile in 1962.

• That is the only previous occasion the sides have met at a World Cup, and is also Colombia's only previous meeting with South American opposition.

• In the last 10 years, Uruguay have won six of their eight games against Colombia (D1, L1).

• Colombia's only win in that sequence was by 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Baranquilla in September 2012. The Uruguayans won the return fixture 2-0 in Montevideo a year later.

Colombia

• Los Cafeteros are unbeaten in their last 10 games (W6, D4) since losing 2-0 in Uruguay last September.

• Colombia lost their only only previous World Cup knockout game 2-1 to Cameroon in 1990.

• They have won as many World Cup matches in Brazil (three) as in their previous 13 tournament games combined.

• James Rodriguez has scored in his last five appearances for Colombia, including all three World Cup matches.

• He has scored three goals and assisted two more in 225 minutes in Brazil - which equates to scoring or assisting a goal every 45 minutes.

• Nine of Colombia's last 11 goals at the World Cup have been scored in the second half of matches.

Uruguay

• Uruguay have not beaten South American opposition in a knockout World Cup match since victory against Brazil at the Maracana in 1950. That match was the de facto final as it was the last game in the final round, with Uruguay needing a win to clinch the title.

• They have scored in each of their last nine World Cup games - the last time they failed to find the net was in a 0-0 draw against France on 11 June 2010.

• La Celeste have lost the last two World Cup games Luis Suarez has missed: 3-2 against Netherlands in 2010 and 3-1 versus Costa Rica in their opening match in Brazil.

Round of 16

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 970
  • Created
  • Last Reply
JD nawrat

JD nawrat

Posted
Posted

Will miss Colombia/Uruguay unfortunately due to having to work. Only about the 5th game I'm missing. Will also be the last, because I'm off work until after the WC ends from Thursday onwards (and am able to see the rest before Thursday) so :cool:

Hoping for 2-1 to both 'home' teams with Neymar and Sanchez scoring. If all of those happen I'll net myself over £150 :D

Betting aside, I want Chile and Colombia. But I just can't see Chile beating Brazil. They've got a terrible track record and Brazil will play similarly to how they have done so far this tournament - which isn't too dissimilar to how the Netherlands played against Chile.

Link to post
Share on other sites
ri916

ri916

Posted
Posted

Had an e/w bet on Chile to win it, which I think was pretty much instantly ****ed after Netherlands stole the insanely easy route to the semis from them, but I guess they're not out yet so will be supporting them. Obviously Uruguay are scum, subhuman scum and Colombia must beat them.

Link to post
Share on other sites
JD nawrat

JD nawrat

Posted
Posted
Would you say a semi final lineup of Uruguay vs Nigeria and Greece vs Switzerland is as good for the competition than if it were Brazil vs Germany and Netherlands vs Argentina?

Well if Uruguay, Nigeria, Greece and Switzerland all start playing football good enough to get them that far then, yes, of course.

Not sure Chile or Colombia are anywhere near as far a step down from Brazil as, say, Greece are from Argentina or Netherlands, though. And if you truly believe that then it's quite insulting towards Chile and Colombia, who have played far more attractive football than Brazil.

I'd rather Chile/Colombia because they've played better stuff. I think the better footballing side should get further. And this case, it's Chile/Colombia. I think Colombia will knock Brazil out in the next round, anyway.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...