On September 13, Estadio Nacional de Lima (Lima) will host the match of the 2nd round of the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 Qualification, in which Peru will compete with Brazil. The battle will start at 04:00 CET.
Peru
The team made a breakthrough half a decade ago. That generation, Guerrero and Farfan, brought a return to the World Cup. Suffice it to say that the previous time, before 2018, it made it there was back in 1982. “The Incas”, who looked nice, although they did not qualify from the group then, spent the next qualification at the same level, finishing in the 5th position and going to the play-offs. The regulations played against them: the only match with Australia was away and, having played a 0-0 draw in regular and extra time, the South Americans faltered in the penalty shoot-out. As for the new cycle, the team played on the field of Paraguay. And Reynoso’s wards quite pragmatically recorded a goalless draw, fighting back, especially throughout the second half of the game after Advincula was sent off.
Brazil
The team begins a new cycle in a rather difficult atmosphere. Initially, there was an extraordinary decision to wait until 2024 for Ancelotti – the duties of the head coach are performed by Fernando Diniz, who, at the same time, did not interrupt his work at the club, Fluminense, for now. Carlo will arrive only after the next Copa America, in about a year. Moreover, there were discussions about whether to call Neymar, who is already in Saudi Arabia, and Antony had to be quickly excluded. However, the squad is still quite powerful for the purpose of qualifying. The start is characterized by the reception of Bolivia. And the team overcame the opponent in a pretty comfortable way, winning with a 5-1 score with doubles scored Rodrigo and Neymar.
The statistics of head-to-head matches
7 of 8 previous head-to-head matches, including 4 in a row, were logically won by Brazil. Still, the Peruvians created a sensation by means of a 1-0 triumph in the friendly confrontation in 2019 that took place in Los Angeles.
Predictions
Bookmakers are not expecting any intrigue in the following battle; the question is how confidently the favourite will win. We will limit to betting on Brazil with “a -1 goal handicap” (odd: 1.6).
