Brazil vs Argentina WCQ betting picks & top odds – 5/9/2021

The two top teams in the South American FIFA World Cup Qualifiers will collide this Sunday when Brazil hosts Argentina. Brazil will be without a handful of its top players in this matchup, but the betting odds still favor a victory for the home team.

Brazil is a perfect 7-0-0 through the first seven games of World Cup Qualifiers. The Brazilians have outscored their opponents 17 to 2 through these seven matches. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, nine Brazilian players currently playing in the English Premier League will be unavailable for Sunday’s match: Alisson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino (Liverpool); Ederson, Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City); Thiago Silva (Chelsea); Fred (Manchester United); Richarlison (Everton); and Raphinha (Leeds). These nine players were also out in Thursday’s 1-0 win over Chile.

Argentina is also undefeated through the first seven matches up qualifiers but has settled for three draws for a record of 4-3-0. The squad earned a 3-1 win over Venezuela on Thursday in what was Lionel Messi’s first game with the international team since joining Paris Saint-Germain this offseason. While Brazil’s squad was severely hampered by the EPL squads their players play for, Argentina was oddly enough able to get clearance for all four of its EPL-based players in Emiliano Martinez, Emiliano Buendia, Giovanni Lo Celso and Cristian Romero.

Lionel Messi earned his first championship in international play in the 2021 Copa America in July when Argentina defeated Brazil in the final of that tournament 1-0. These two countries have a long and storied rivalry that has been fairly evenly fought over the years with Brazil holding a slight edge of 43-25-40 over Argentina in the 108 matches these two football superpowers have played against one another.

This is a tough one to predict. While Brazil is certainly missing some key players, the country’s depth of elite talent at every position makes the squad more than capable of filling those gaps. Still, Argentina is riding high after its Copa America win and should come into this match with plenty of confidence. Then again, Brazil could be hungry for some revenge.

While we lean slightly towards a draw, the best bet in this match is on the under 2.5 goals (-150). Four of the last five games between Brazil and Argentina have ended 1-0 one way or the other, and seven of the last eight games in this rivalry have produced two goals or less. Look for another match in which every scoring opportunity is hard-earned in a low-scoring affair.