Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Brazil Face Paraguay in World Cup 2022 Qualifying


Wed 02 Feb 2022 | 08:00 PM
Mohamed Helba

Already-qualified Brazil will aim to make it 15 games unbeaten in World Cup 2022 Qualifying when Paraguay pay a visit to Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.

The Selecao were held to a 1-1 draw by Ecuador last time out, while their upcoming visitors fell to a 1-0 defeat to a rejuvenated Uruguay.

Twice Alisson Becker was sent for an early bath in Brazil's battle with third-placed Ecuador, and twice VAR saved the Liverpool number one's bacon, but Emerson Royal would be made to take the walk of shame as Brazil were forced to settle for a point on the day.

Casemiro put Brazil one goal to the good after six minutes before Emerson was sent off for two bookable offences - his first one coming in the opening minute - and Ecuador's own 10 men restored parity through Felix Torres in an incident-packed encounter.

Tite's side will undoubtedly be disappointed not to have prevailed in such a fiery battle, but with the five-time World Cup winners still top of the section and already looking at plane journeys to Qatar, it hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things.

Brazil's prime goal now is simply to hold off the threat of Argentina for top spot in CONMEBOL Qualifying, and they currently boast a four-point lead over the Copa America winners, scoring a group-high 28 goals and conceding a mere five in the process.

The Selecao also boast a perfect record of six wins from six at home in Qualifying so far and have shipped just one of their five conceded goals on familiar turf - all of which does not point to an unexpected Paraguay success story.