Following a dispiriting stalemate in their Copa America opener, the mighty Brazil return to the fray on Saturday (kick-off 7:00 am Bangladesh time) as they face Paraguay in a crucial Group D clash at Allegiant Stadium, Nevada.
Dorival Junior's men were left red-faced after being held scoreless by a resolute Costa Rica in their opening encounter. Meanwhile, Paraguay's spirited comeback attempt on matchday one fell just short, as they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Colombia.
The biggest upset of the tournament so far unfolded at SoFi Stadium, California, where the Seleção's profligacy in front of goal proved costly. Dorival Junior's men dominated the Costa Ricans in every facet of the game – boasting a staggering 7 4% possession, creating a plethora of chances (expected goals: 1.66 to 0.03), and racking up nearly 50 forays into their opponents' half compared to a measly two by the Central Americans.
However, the most crucial statistic, the scoreline, left a bitter taste for the Brazilians. This marks their second consecutive goalless outing in the Copa America, extending their dry spell back to the 2021 final, where they were edged out 1-0 by Argentina.
It's worth noting that within regulation time, the Seleção haven't tasted defeat against Paraguay in the Copa America since the 2004 group stage (a narrow 2-1 loss). However, La Albirroja (The White Shirts) have managed to knock them out twice on penalties in the last decade, in the 2011 and 2015 editions.
Two tweaks were made to Brazil's starting lineup for their clash with the United States compared to their previous outing. Guilherme Arana displaced Wendell at left-back, while Eder Militão got the nod over Lucas Beraldo in central defence. Douglas Luiz, a mainstay in recent times, surprisingly missed out for the first time since a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay last October.
Exciting young prospects Endrick and Savio featured as substitutes, with the latter making a strong case for a starting berth after netting three times in his last five appearances. Marquinhos had a goal chalked off for offside by VAR in their opener, while Alisson secured his first clean sheet for Brazil since their victory over Switzerland at the 2022
World Cup.
With their title defence hanging slightly in the balance, the five-time champions will be desperate to rediscover their scoring touch and secure a morale-boosting victory against a determined Paraguayan outfit.
