Brazil will be looking to register their first win of the competition when they take on Costa Rica in the first of three games on Friday.
The five-time champions are one of the favourites to go all the way in Russia. However, they could not make a promising start to their campaign as Switzerland held them to a frustrating 1-1 draw. Following the game, Brazil had almost suffered a huge setback when their talisman Neymar limped out of training during the week with an ankle injury. But fortunately for them, he is fit and is likely to start the game.
It should be noted that Brazil are now winless in their last three World Cup games. In the last edition, they had lost to Germany and the Netherlands in the semifinal and third-place playoff respectively. Brazil will be desperate to win this game not only to break the winless streak but also to boost their chances of qualifying to the next stage.
On the other hand, Costa Rica opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 loss to Serbia. They had outplayed Serbia for long stretches and held a slight edge in possession in the opener. However, they failed to convert on limited scoring opportunities in a third straight loss.
? #LaSele reconoció el estadio de San Petersburgo, donde jugará este viernes ante @CBF_Futebol en la @fifaworldcup_es #Rusia2018.#VamosTicos #CRC #LaSeleBRA pic.twitter.com/0vheUzdTD5
— FCRF (@fedefutbolcrc) June 21, 2018
Sportzwiki brings you all you need to know ahead of the clash between the two sides.
Venue and time:
Brazil and Costa Rica will lock horns at the Saint Petersburg Stadium. The action will begin at 5:30 PM IST on Friday.
Players to look out for:
Who else it can be for Brazil than Neymar. The Paris Saint-Germain star had a forgettable outing against Switzerland. He will be keen to make a mark on the upcoming game. But with question mark over his fitness, Brazil will be hoping for Coutinho to deliver again. The Barcelona star scored a stunner in the opener.
For Costa Rica, they will be hoping that their star man Keylor Navas keeps the Brazilian forwards at bay with a good display in the goal.
Where to watch:
The Indian fans will enjoy extensive coverage of the game. The English coverage will get telecast on SONY TEN 2 SD and HD channels.
The Hindi feed will be aired on SONY TEN 3 SD and HD channels. Bengali and Malayali feed will be available on SONY ESPN SD channel.
Possible line-ups:
Brazil:
Allison; Danilo, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Marcelo; Casemiro, Paulinho; Willian, Coutinho, Neymar; Jesus.
Costa Rica
Navas; Gamboa, Acoste, Gonzalez, Duarte, Oviedo; Venegas, Guzman, Borges, Bryan; Urena
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