COPA AMERICA: BRAZIL VS COSTA RICA PREVIEW, PREDICTION & BETTING PICKS

Despite the unpredictability of tournament football, Costa Rica are unlikely to be giant killers this time around with Brazil likely to pick up a big win with Vinicius Jr or Endrick on the scoresheet. Brazil 3 - 0 Costa Rica

Brazil and Costa Rica have to wait all the way until Tuesday to kick off their Copa America campaign at SoFi Stadium. Brazil are undoubtedly favourites to win this group and will look to assert their dominance early.

Date: 25/06/2024

Kick-off time: 09:00 (EST)

Location: SoFi StadiumIn

Group D Brazil and Costa Rica are joined by Colombia and Paraguay and with the uncertainty of tournament football, an early win is an important one.Brazil automatically qualified for the Copa America as a CONMEBOL nation, but they are among the most successful sides in the competition’s history. Since their debut in the competition in its first rendition in 1916, Brazil have made 38 appearances.In that time Brazil have won nine titles and have made a further 12 Finals. The most recent title for Brazil came back in 2019 where they beat Peru 3 - 1 in the Final to win the title on home soil. Brazil did make the Final in 2021 but lost 1 - 0 to Argentina.

Costa Rica, as a CONCACAF member, had to win their spot in the Copa America. In the Play-in round Costa Rica took on Honduras and after winning 3 - 1 they booked their spot in the final tournament.This will be Costa Rica’s sixth appearance at the Copa America since their debut in the competition in 1997. Costa Rica will be looking to return to the Quarter-finals like in 2001 and 2004, rather than their Group stage exits in more recent years.Brazil and Costa Rica have met 11 times in their histories, with their first meeting coming back in the 1956 Pan American Championships. Brazil have the better record in the fixture with ten wins in comparison to Costa Rica’s one win, with there yet to be a draw in the fixture.The last five games in this fixture have seen five wins for Brazil with three of the last four games having just one side on the scoresheet.

Brazil Team News

Dorival Junior has the usual suspects of Alisson, Ederson, Lucas Paqueta, Endrick, Gabriel Martinelli, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. However, there was no room for Casemiro in this Brazil squad.

Costa Rica Team News

Gustavo Alfaro is without his usual captain Keylor Navas after his retirement but is able to call upon Kenneth Vargas, Ariel Lassiter and Brandon Aguilera.

In their last five games in all competitions, Brazil have two wins, two draws and one loss.The World Cup Qualifiers saw Brazil take on rivals Argentina. Despite Argentina having just two shots on target, Nicolas Otamendi scored the only goal of the game just after the hour mark to give Argentina the 1 - 0 win over ten-man Brazil who had Joelinton sent off late on.Brazil made their way to Wembley to face England in an international friendly. The game was still goalless heading into the last ten minutes but Endrick popped up with a goal in the 80th minute to give Brazil the 1 - 0 win.

Another international friendly saw Brazil go behind early against Spain. Rodri’s early penalty and a goal from Dani Olmo put Spain ahead but Rodrygo did get Brazil on the scoresheet before halftime. Endrick equalised just five minutes into the second half but Rodri thought he had won it for Spain with another penalty with less than five minutes to go. However, a 96th minute penalty from Paqueta forced a 3 - 3 draw.Brazil were back to winning ways against Mexico. Andreas Pereira opened the scoring in the fifth minute and Martinelli doubled the lead early in the second half. An own goal from Yan Couto got Mexico on the scoresheet and Guillermo Martinez Ayala equalised in the 92nd minute. Another late goal from Brazil, this time Endrick in the sixth minute of extra time, gave Brazil the 3 - 2 win.The last time out for Brazil was against the US. Rodrygo gave Brazil the lead in the 17th minute but Christian Pulisic found the back of the net for the US to force a 1 - 1 draw.

In their last five games in all competitions, Costa Rica have three wins, one draw and one loss.The CONCACAF Nations League Play-off game had Costa Rica and Honduras battling it out for a spot in the Copa America. Michaell Chirinos opened the scoring for Honduras in the tenth minute but Orland Galo equalised just two minutes later for Costa Rica. In the second half both Warren Madrigal and Jefferson Brenes scored to give Costa Rica the 3 - 1 win.Costa Rica were on the wrong side of the 3 - 1 scoreline the next time out in a friendly against Argentina. Costa Rica took the lead through Manfred Ugalde just before halftime but in the second half Angel Di Maria, Alexis Mac Allister and Lautauro Martinez all scored to give Argentina the 3 - 1 win.Another friendly saw Costa Rica take on Uruguay. Costa Rica did manage four shots on target in 16 attempts in comparison to Uruguay’s one shot on target in four attempts, but neither side scored and had to settle for a 0 - 0 draw.Back in World Cup Qualifiers, Costa Rica took on Saint Kitts and Nevis. A brace from Galo and goals from Josimar Alcocer and Andy Rojas gave Costa Rica the 4 - 0 win.The most recent outing for Costa Rica was against Grenada. Ugalde, Alvaro Zamora and Gerald Taylor all scored to give Costa Rica the 3 - 0 win.