Brazil and Norway collide in a marquee match headlining Sunday’s World Cup Round of 16 slate.
Carlo Ancelotti has made all the necessary adjustments and is just one victory away from leading Seleção to their third straight quarter-final appearance. Vinicius Jr. continues to be a reliable attacking threat for Brazil, which has secured two clean sheets before this crucial match.
It took a late goal from substitute Gabriel Martinelli to complete Brazil’s come-from-behind win over Japan in the Round of 32, after trailing 1-0 at halftime. Casemiro found the back of the net in the 56th minute to tie the score at 1-1, and the momentum suddenly shifted to the five-time World Cup winners.
Erling Haaland and Norway withstood a surge from Ivory Coast to win 2-1, with the Norwegian star’s go-ahead boot in the 86th minute pushing Norway into the final 16. The prolific scorer now has five goals for the Vikings in this tournament.
Haaland will now clash with Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhães in a Premier League rivalry poised to take center stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Brazil vs. Norway World Cup prediction, best bets
Oddsmakers have Brazil installed as -260 betting favorites to advance to the final eight and -125 on the three-way moneyline to win within 90 minutes. Norway enters at +250 to advance and as +360 moneyline dogs on FanDuel Sportsbook.
At this stage of the World Cup, the outcome can hinge on a single touch or a mistake from either side.
Brazil has been criticized throughout its run, yet Seleção somehow keeps advancing. Even when Raphina went down with an injury against Haiti, Ancelotti game-planned perfectly to keep Vinicius Jr. at the forefront of their attack.
The result: 6.5 shots on goal per match, fourth-best among teams remaining in the tournament.
Whether it is Matheus Cunha or Bruno Guimarães alongside him, Vini Jr. has scored four times, and his overall presence around the box will almost certainly prompt Norway to send additional defenders to mark him.
Haaland poses a significant challenge to the Brazilian defense, which has conceded only 0.5 goals on average during the tournament. He has dominated in his first Cup showing, while Martin Odegaard leads the Norwegian side with three assists.
Gabriel knows Haaland very well, and with the stakes even higher, this one-on-one duel will be high-level soccer at its finest. Seleção, though, has just enough to secure a narrow victory, and perhaps Neymar will receive some minutes on the field in light of Raphinha’s injury.
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Since both offenses are well-organized and led by star players, I expect both to score in what could be an exciting 90-minute game, plus extra time, as they play for a place in the final eight.
Additionally, expect Vinicius Jr. to break down a Norwegian team that previously struggled to deal with Amad Diallo and Ismaïla Sarr when they created space.
The Play: Both teams to score (-155, Caesars Sportsbook) | Vinicius Junior to score or assist (-145, FanDuel)
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