Sports

Brazil vs. Paraguay live score, updates, highlights from CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying

By James Pereira

Paraguay is facing the end of the road when it visits the best team in South American qualifying Brazil at the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday. 

While Brazil booked its ticket back in November, Paraguay is six points from the qualifying zone with only two matches left after the trip to Brazil. A loss to Brazil should mathematically eliminate the Albirroja, who have not qualified to the FIFA World Cup since 2010.

For a team that hasn’t won or scored in six qualifying matches (0W-4L-2D) — the home loss to Uruguay in the last match was the ultimate blow — Paraguay is facing the toughest opponent in the region.

MORE: Updated CONMEBOL standings, results & schedule

Brazil is undefeated and in first place in qualifying and it has won all six of its home matches by a combined 15-1 scoreline. It may not have Neymar in its squad, but Brazil is not struggling for talent with a star-studded starting lineup for the match.

Sporting News will be following Brazil vs. Paraguay live and providing live score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

Brazil vs. Paraguay live score

  1H 2H Final
Brazil 1 1 —
Paraguay 0 0 —

Goals:
BRA — Raphinha (Marquinhos) — 28th min.
BRA — Coutinho — 62nd min.

(All times Eastern)

62nd min.: What a goal by Philippe Coutinho! He’s getting back to his top form. He fired from distance and beat the ‘keeper under the crossbar. That shot came easy for him.

59th min.: SUBS – Antony and Gabriel Jesus are in for Vinicius Jr. and Matheus Cunha.

59th min.: A rare Paraguay threat with Juan Escobar taking a shot, but it doesn’t come close. Paraguay has been poor, especially side-by-side against Brazil. Meanwhile, the Brazilians are about to bring on two more attacking stars.

56th min.: What a ball from Philippe Coutinho to Lucas Paqueta! The Lyon man chests it down in the box and nearly chips the ball over the ‘keeper, but it goes high. Brazil is firing on all cylinders.

54th min.: Matheus Cunha just misses! He applies a driven header off a pinpoint cross from Alex Telles on the left and the ball bounces just wide.

48th min.: Raphinha hits the post! Another devastating left-footed shot inside the box goes off the right post. The Leeds man doesn’t fool around when he gets the ball on his feet. He’s feeling it.

46th min.: Second half underway with two subs for Paraguay. Juan Escobar and David Martinez are into the match for fullbacks Robert Rojas and Santiago Arzamendia, who was on a yellow. They were exposed by Vinicius Jr. and Raphinha.

Halftime: Brazil 1, Paraguay 0

Halftime: Spectacular and dominant first half by Brazil. The lead is deserved for the volume of play — Raphinha is on fire in the Brazil jersey (three goals in seven games) and also deserved to get the goal — and the Brazilians are now having fun with trick plays and quick combinations. The locals are inspired, which can’t be said of visiting Paraguay. The Albirroja looks like it’s going to be seven straight matches without a goal.

47th+ min.: Fantastic chance for Brazil’s Vinicius on a beautiful service from Philippe Coutinho. But a heavy last touch allows the ‘keeper to close him down.

45th min.: Four minutes of stoppage time to make up for the long VAR check at the start of the game.

42nd min.: Meanwhile, there look to have been arrests made in the stands after those previous incidents.

39th min.: Paraguay hasn’t mustered a response. Brazil, on the contrary, is knocking the ball around and Lucas Paqueta even permitted himself a juggling act at one point. That went well with this Vinicius nutmeg and Dani Alves rainbow.

28th min.: There’s the Raphinha goal! A long ball from Marquinhos over the top finds Raphinha in stride and he danced around a Paraguayan defender and finished expertly. That left foot is world class.

20th min.: YELLOW — Paraguay’s Santiago Arzamendia earns a yellow for a foul on Matheus Cunha 25 yards from the Brazil goal, but the Selecao can’t take advantage of the free kick.

17th min.: Brazil’s attacking trio combine and Raphinha nearly scores. After a Paraguay giveaway, Matheus Cunha feeds Vini Jr. on the left and his cross finds Raphinha crashing the far post, but he was challenged and could not score.

14th min.: The broadcast is showing police intervening with clashes taking place in the stands. There’s speculation it could be the rival club fans having words. Reports say emergency medical personnel has come to the assistance of a wounded fan.

10th min.: Paraguay is picking on Brazil right back Dani Alves and twice have reached the end line and into Brazil’s box. But the Albirroja has not been able to take advantage.

7th min.: After a long five minutes, no goal! Raphinha’s strike is wiped off the board.

6th min.: The VAR check is still going! And now the referee goes to the monitor. There’s not enough evidence to definitely say, so the call on the field is going to have to hold up.

2nd min.: And it’s an early goal! Raphinha takes advantage of a lucky bounce and he places a shot against base of the far left post for the accurate finish. The referees are looking closely at it to see if Raphinha took advantage of a hand ball.

1st min.: Brazil kicks off and it’s on the attack.

7:27 p.m.: Anthems are out of the way (including the coda interpreted a capela by the local fans for the Brazilian anthem). The start of the match is only moments away.

7:15 p.m.: A total of 22,500 fans will be permitted in the 62,000-seat stadium. As these photos show, there will be healthy dose of empty seats visible on the broadcast.

7:14 p.m.: Brazilian reporter Bruno Cassucci gives the rundown of Brazil matches at the Mineirao, a record which will forever has that painful 7-1 World Cup semifinal loss against Germany. It’s 18W-3L-6D with the last match being a 2-0 win in a 2019 Copa America semifinal.

6:27 p.m.: A look at the two lineups ahead of the match at the Mineirao, which is expected to only produce one result: a Brazil victory.

Brazil vs. Paraguay lineups

Brazil will keep its front three together for a second straight match, but the entire back line and goalkeeper will be switched out with only Thiago Silva maintaining his spot. Left back Alex Sandro tested positive for COVID-19, and right back Emerson Royal (red card) and center back Eder Militao (yellow card accumulation) are suspended and have already returned to their club teams.

Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho retains his place in the lineup even with the return of Lucas Paqueta, who was suspended in the last match. The other suspended player against Ecuador, Fabinho, is also back in midfield. 

Brazil starting lineup (4-3-3, left to right): Ederson (GK) — Dan Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Alex Telles — Fabinho, Lucas Paqueta, Philippe Coutinho — Raphinha, Vinicius Jr., Matheus Cunha

Brazil subs (12): Alisson (GK), Weverton (GK), Gabriel, Bruno Guimaraes, Gerson, Everton Ribeiro, Casemiro, Fred, Rodrygo, Gabriel Barbosa, Antony, Gabriel Jesus

Former LA Galaxy manager and Boca Juniors legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto is asking for his team to show some fight and dignity against the best team in South America. The Albirroja will have to do it without center back Gustavo Gomez (red card) and Matias Rojas (yellow card accumulation), who are both suspended.

Paraguay starting lineup (4-4-2, right to left): 1-Anthony Silva (GK) — 2-Robert Rojas, 5-Fabian Balbuena (capt.), 6-Junior Alonso, 19-Santiago Arzamendia — 18-Braian Samudio, 8-Richard Sanchez, 23-Mathias Villasanti, 16-Braian Ojeda — 10-Miguel Almiron, 7-Carlos Gonzalez.

Paraguay subs (12): 12-Alfredo Aguilar, 22-Santiago Rojas, 4-Juan Escobar, 3-Juan Patino, 14-David Martinez, 13-Alan Benitez, 15-Hugo Martinez, 20-Jorge Morel, 9-Arnaldo Sanabria, 11-Julio Enciso, 17-Robert Morales, 21-Luis Amarilla

MORE: Which teams have qualified to 2022 FIFA World Cup?

How to watch Brazil vs. Paraguay

  • Date: Tues, Feb. 1, 2022
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: None
  • Streaming: fuboTV

Brazil vs. Paraguay from the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, like every World Cup qualifying match from South America, can be streamed exclusively on fuboTV in English and Spanish.

WATCH: South American World Cup qualifiers on fuboTV (stream live)

The matches are also available on a pay-per-view basis via cable and satellite TV providers. 

Brazil vs. Paraguay betting odds, pick & prediction

Odds courtesy of DraftKings

  • Moneyline: Brazil -360 / Draw +475 / Paraguay +1100
  • Spread: Brazil -1.5 (-115) / Paraguay +1.5 (-110)
  • O/U 2.5 total goals: Over +100 / Under -125
  • Both Teams To Score: Yes +185 / No -250

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James Pereira