• Competition: WC Qualifiers South America
• Date: Wednesday, 11th, September 2024
• Kickoff: 01:30 UK / 02:30 CEST
• Venue: Estadio Defensores del Chaco (Asuncion)

Brazil will look to cap off their September fixtures on a high note as they visit Estadio Defensores del Chaco to take on Paraguay in round eight of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday.

Following a catastrophic performance at the Copa America this summer, the Paraguayan FF swiftly responded by dismissing Daniel Garnero, placing Gustavo Alfaro in charge as the new head coach. With the aim of prolonging his tenure, the 62-year-old manager will do everything in his power to guide his team to World Cup qualification for the first time since 2010, even though he knows that Los Guaraníes' performances to date have been far from impressive, collecting just six points from the opening seven qualifiers.

On the other hand, Brazil also delivered a below-par performance at the 2024 Copa America, as they packed their bags in the quarterfinals after Uruguay proved better in the penalty shootout, once again confirming that they are no longer the dominant force they once were. Although they can boast the highest number of World Cup victories of any nation with five titles, the Selecao have struggled to advance beyond the quarterfinals for many years, and their last triumph in this tournament came 24 years ago.

Paraguay vs Brazil Betting Tips: UNDER 2.5

Both nations have shown a lack of creativity and sharpness in the attacking segment throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign, so we anticipate a muted contest with little action, where a solitary goal could make the difference between the two sides. Paraguay has been utterly toothless in attack during their World Cup qualifiers so far, as they have shockingly fired blank in six out of seven such matches and struck only once in their sole victory against Bolivia. 

Los Guaranies can proudly boast the second-best defensive record here with only three goals conceded, and their solid backline helped them earn a big point over the weekend as they held the powerful Uruguay to a goalless draw. The mix of ineffective offense and strong defense has led to Paraguay’s matches being utterly dull, as none of their opening seven qualifiers have seen more than one goal. 

Despite having top-class strikers, Brazil have struggled with a lack of cutting edge in the final third over the past few months, as they have failed to score more than one goal in five of their last six matches, including in their first September fixture where Rodrigo’s first-half strike was enough to defeat Ecuador. It’s truly hard to believe that the toothless Paraguay will find a way to break through Brazil’s resistance, but Alfaro’s team will once again rely on their rock-solid defense to disrupt Selecao’s rhythm, and we think they will largely succeed in doing so, hence we are predicting under.