Brazil vs Panama - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to physique excitement connected location ungraded up of the World Cup, Brazil big Panama successful an planetary affable connected Sunday night.

The Selecao volition beryllium without immoderate of their prima defenders for the sojourn of Los Canaleros to Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana Stadium implicit the weekend.

Match preview

Less than a twelvemonth into his spell arsenic Brazil manager, Carlo Ancelotti possesses of an uninspiring grounds of 5 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats crossed matches successful World Cup qualifying and affable encounters.

As a result, hype astir the Selecao is perchance astatine all-time debased up of football's top amusement successful the United States, Canada and Mexico, particularly erstwhile considering the team's caller struggles successful South America.

Brazil concluded their World Cup qualification run with a 1-0 nonaccomplishment astatine minnows Bolivia, with the South American giants placing an unthinkable 5th spot successful the CONMEBOL standings, a mammoth 10 points down first-placed Argentina.

The Selecao would person been forced to combat successful an intercontinental playoff if the World Cup was inactive astatine 32 teams, however, a top-six decorativeness successful South America was capable for automatic qualification for the 2026 edition.

Ancelotti's broadside person failed to flatter themselves during six consecutive affable fixtures betwixt October and the extremity of the March planetary window, with a caller 2-1 nonaccomplishment to France unearthing plentifulness of hard truths for the five-time World Cup winners.

Panama volition get astatine the iconic Maracana connected Sunday successful overmuch greater spirits, with the CONCACAF federation preparing for lone their second-ever World Cup finals quality pursuing a fruitless travel to Russia successful 2018.

Drawn into a tricky conception containing England, Belgium and Tunisia, Los Canaleros failed to prime up a constituent connected the biggest signifier successful football, yet returned to Central America with plentifulness of pridefulness and fond memories.

To accidental that Panama are a antithetic beast 8 years connected would beryllium an overstatement, however, Thomas Christiansen's troops person made noticeable improvements connected their predecessors, reaching the finals of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup and 2025 Nations League.

During the 3rd circular of CONCACAF qualifying for the World Cup, Los Canaleros enjoyed a six-game unbeaten tally (W3 D3), finishing 3 points wide of Suriname, whose large tourney dreams yet ended during March's playoffs.

A 1952 Panamerican Championship clash remains the lone competitory gathering betwixt Panama and Brazil, with the Selecao unsurprisingly undefeated crossed each 5 games against Sunday's visitors to Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil International Friendlies form:

W L W D L W

Panama International Friendlies form:

L L D L D W

Panama signifier (all competitions):

W W D L D W

Team News

Starting with the unavoidable taxable which is Neymar, the Santos prima is expected to beryllium sidelined for up to 3 weeks aft aesculapian tests revealed that the attacker has suffered a calf strain.

As a result, the Selecao's all-time starring goalscorer could miss his side's opening lucifer of the World Cup, expanding the load connected the team's different attackers.

Aiming to triumph the hearts of the Brazilian nationalist this summer, Vinicius Jr is disposable to commencement successful onslaught alongside Matheus Cunha and Raphina.

Premier League duo Rayan and Igor Thiago are some included successful Ancelotti's ranks pursuing fantabulous campaigns astatine Bournemouth and Brentford respectively.

Due to their engagement successful the Champions League final, Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and Marquinhos are yet to nexus up the Selecao.

Panama are sweating implicit the fittingness of skipper Anibal Godoy, with the San Diego FC antheral picking up a sound earlier this month.

Battling for a spot successful betwixt the sticks this summer, Nacional shot-stopper Luis Mejia is nursing a muscular problem.

Brazil imaginable starting lineup:

Alisson; Danilo, Bremer, Pereira, Sandro; Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes, Danilo; Vinicius Jr, Cunha, Raphinha

Panama imaginable starting lineup:

Mosquera; Blackman, Miller, Escobar, Cordoba; Murillo, Harvey, Barcenas; Fajardo, Diaz, Quintero

We say: Brazil 2-0 Panama

At arguably the spiritual location of football, Brazil volition beryllium hoping to grounds a soul-cleansing occurrence implicit Panama connected Sunday.

The Selecao are without their preferred centre-back pairing but should beryllium excessively almighty for Los Canaleros astatine the Maracana.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.