Colombia vs Brazil - World Cup Qualifiers South America on November 17, 2023: Predicted outcome.

For the first time in the history of the FIFA World Cup, the 2026 tournament will feature 48 teams instead of the usual 32. To accommodate this artificially expanded field, the qualification criteria have been revised. In South America, six teams will now secure direct berths instead of four. A seventh South American nation will have the opportunity to secure a spot through an intercontinental playoff tournament. Only three representatives from the CONMEBOL zone will miss out on the World Cup.

Partly due to this, the Brazilian national team wasn't overly concerned that the start of their World Cup qualification didn't go entirely according to plan. The Selecao recently suffered a 0-2 defeat in Uruguay and, after four match days, has accumulated only seven out of a possible twelve points. On Thursday night, the star-studded ensemble from the land of samba aims to bounce back and secure an away victory in Barranquilla. However, the odds alone emphasize that placing a bet on the Diniz-led squad ahead of the Colombia vs. Brazil match comes with certain risks.

It's crucial not to underestimate the Colombian selection, as they are the only team, alongside world champions Argentina, still undefeated in the ongoing qualification. Defensively, the 17th-ranked team in the world has conceded little, making a prediction for a low-scoring affair between Colombia and Brazil plausible on the fifth match day.

Colombia

Less than a decade ago, the Colombian national team, led by former Bayern Munich star James Rodriguez, made a significant impact at the 2014 World Cup. "Los Cafeteros" reached the quarterfinals, narrowly falling to host nation Brazil. In 2018, the team from the northern part of South America again made it to the knockout stage but lost in the Round of 16 to England in a penalty shootout. Surprisingly, Colombia missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, finishing sixth in the CONMEBOL qualification.

The desire to return to the grandest international football stage in 2026, hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, is immense. The current 17th-ranked team can be satisfied with their start in the 2026 World Cup qualification. While they have "only" secured six points after four matchdays, the Colombians remain unbeaten with one win and three draws.

Brazil

The Brazilian national football team is currently in a transitional phase. With Fernando Diniz, who recently led Fluminense to victory in the Copa Libertadores, serving as interim coach, it appears that the 49-year-old, known for his good relationship with numerous stars, is holding the fort until Carlo Ancelotti takes over in the summer of 2024. Ancelotti's contract with Real Madrid will expire, and he is expected to lead the record World Cup winners to the Copa America and, ultimately, the 2026 World Cup.

Nevertheless, the ambition of the third-ranked team in the world should be to achieve better results in the final international phase of 2023 than in the past few months. It's also about restoring the Samba mentality, regaining the almost entirely lost joy of play, and reclaiming the team's reputation, which has gradually diminished for the "Verde-Amarela."

Head-to-head comparison record

In the South American World Cup qualification, the two national teams have faced each other 14 times so far. Colombia has yet to secure a victory, with Brazil claiming victory seven times, and seven matches ending in draws. Looking at all 35 international encounters, Brazil holds the edge with 21 victories, 11 draws, and only three wins for Colombia. Two of the last three competitive meetings also went in favor of Selecao, although the last direct duel in Colombia ended in a goalless draw.

Betting Tips and Odds for Colombia vs Brazil Prediction

Low-scoring matches are commonplace in the South American World Cup qualification. Under bets often prevail over over bets. Therefore, it's not surprising that low odds are offered for Under 2.5 goals between Colombia and Brazil. In our view, these odds are too low to find acceptable value. Only when combined with X2 does such a bet become interesting.

However, we believe it's even more prudent to bet on a Selecao away victory. While it's essential to consider that the record World Cup winner won only two of the first four qualification games, suffered a 0-2 defeat in Uruguay, and holds a general away record of only four wins in the last ten international matches, the probability of their quality shining through on the field is always present.

KEY-FACTS – Colombia vs Brazil TIPS:

1. - Colombia has failed to score in 9 of the last 13 qualification matches.
2. - Brazil won only 4 of the last 10 away matches.
3. - In 14 qualification duels, Brazil is unbeaten against Colombia (7-7-0).

Considering that the home team has never defeated the Selecao in 14 attempts in the South American World Cup qualification (0-7-7), and "Los Cafeteros" have been without a goal in nine of the last 13 qualification matches, we find the odds of 2.25 for the Diniz-led team to win in Barranquilla quite appealing. Therefore, in the Colombia vs. Brazil duel, we recommend betting on the away victory and confidently place the mentioned top odds in the William Hill app with five units at stake.