San Francisco’s Levi Stadium forms the backdrop for Wednesday’s tantalising Copa America showdown as Brazil take on Colombia, needing a point to advance to the knockout phase.
However, revenge could also be on the cards for the Selecao, who may be looking to kill two birds with a stone when they lock horns with Colombia on Wednesday morning.
While a win will see Brazil qualify for the quarter-finals as group winners, it would also avenge their 2-1 defeat against Colombia in last year’s World Cup qualifiers.
As we prepare to drop the curtains on the group phase, the excitement is poised to ramp up heading into the knockout rounds. Fans can still catch all the action live when they purchase Copa America tickets from seatsnet.com.
Brazil’s Copa America campaign has been a rollercoaster so far. They squandered numerous goalscoring opportunities in their opening match, forcing them to settle for a disappointing goalless draw against Costa Rica.
However, unlike that frustrating start, Dorival Junior’s side found their rhythm in the subsequent game, dismantling Paraguay 4-1 to record their biggest win since September 2023 when they put five past Bolivia.
The win over Paraguay marked a turning point for Brazil, snapping a four-game winless streak against CONMEBOL opponents – an awful run that included three consecutive defeats.
They’ll be looking to extend this positive momentum against Colombia.
Historically, Brazil have dominated the Copa America group stage. A draw on Wednesday will guarantee their passage to the knockout rounds for the 14th time in the last 15 Copa America appearances.
The last time they lost a group fixture at this tournament was in the United States in 2016 when they were beaten by Peru 1-0 on their final matchday and eliminated at the group stage.
While their form under Junior has been inconsistent, Brazil have tightened up defensively at the Copa America, conceding just one goal so far.
This is a stark contrast to their performances in the build-up to the tournament, where they leaked a combined six goals in three matches against Spain, Mexico, and the United States.
Colombia’s clinical performance against Costa Rica on Friday secured their place in the knockout stages for the sixth consecutive time in this competition.
Los Cafeteros have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. They’re currently enjoying a hugely impressive 25-match unbeaten run across all competitions, including a perfect record so far this year with six wins from six matches.
A victory against Brazil would not only solidify their position at the top of the group but also etch their name in the history books. Nine points in the group stage would be their best performance since 2019.
Nestor Lorenzo’s men have displayed remarkable defensive resilience.
They haven’t conceded a single goal in the opening half of a match since December last year, when they came from behind to snatch a thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico.
Even when faced with adversity, Colombia have proven their ability to bounce back. They’ve emerged victorious in the last three games where they conceded the first goal, including the dramatic win over Mexico.
Match Preview
Brazil head into their Copa America clash against Colombia as favourites, but it will be a more challenging test than their previous outings against Costa Rica and Paraguay.
They’ll need to be wary of the Colombians, especially after losing their last encounter with Los Cafeteros, although they’ve never suffered back-to-back defeats against their South American rivals.
The Selecao have gone nine group stage games without recording defeat in the Copa America (W6, D3) – their second-longest unbeaten streak during the opening phase of the tournament.
The last time they went on a longer streak without suffering defeat was a run of ten games between 1993 and 1999.
Vinicius Junior could be Brazil’s main threat against Colombia.
The Real Madrid star has been in scintillating form for both club and country. His pace, dribbling ability, and eye for goal make him a nightmare for defenders.
His recent brace against Paraguay further underlines his importance to the Brazilian attack.
Colombia will head into the game as slight underdogs, but they have every right to be confident about their chances of toppling the five-time world champions.
They had gone seven games without a win against Brazil across all competitions (D3, L4) before picking up a 2-1 win during the World Cup qualifiers.
That victory could fuel Colombia’s desire to secure back-to-back wins against Brazil for the first time, and given their current form, they are unlikely to be intimidated by their opponents.
Los Cafeteros will be determined to preserve their remarkable 25-match unbeaten run across all competitions even though they have already punched their ticket to the knockout rounds.
Colombia have nothing to lose ahead of the clash against Brazil, but another victory over the Selecao will undoubtedly be a massive confidence boost heading into the knockout phase.
Former Madrid and Bayern Munich ace James Rodriguez will be at the heart of Colombia’s hopes of clinching a win against Brazil.
While his club career might not be at its peak, the experienced playmaker remains a talisman for his national team.
Assuming he’s not rested, he’ll likely have a say in whether Colombia can ultimately hold on to win the group.
Rodriguez has already notched three assists at this tournament, and a coveted record is in his sights.
Only Lionel Messi has provided more assists in a single edition of the Copa America (four in 2016 and five in 2021).
While Rodriguez will have one eye on matching the record at least, Colombia may be tempted to keep him fresh for the knockout phase.
Team news & potential line-ups
Brazil have no real fitness issue ahead of Wednesday’s showdown, although Junior will still be scratching his head about player selection, with a number of key first-team players facing the prospect of suspension.
Vinicius, Eder Militao, and Wendell are just one yellow card away from suspension, so Junior must decide whether to risk deploying them or opt for a more cautious approach with a rotated squad.
Meanwhile, there were concerns about Colombian skipper Rodriguez, who was taken off the pitch in the latter parts of Friday’s 3-0 win over Costa Rica.
While Lorenzo maintains that the substitution was only a precautionary measure, Rodriguez is likely to be handed a breather during Wednesday’s fixture.
Brazil potential starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Alisson; Danilo, Lucas Beraldo, Marquinhos, Guilherme Arana; Bruno Guimaraes, Joao Gomes; Savio, Andreas Pereira, Rodrygo; Endrick.
Colombia potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Camilo Vargas; Daniel Munoz, Davinson Sanchez, Carlos Cuesta, Deiver Machado; Kevin Castano, Mateus Uribe, Santiago Arias; Luis Sinisterra, Jhon Duran, Luis Diaz.
