Three teams - Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia - will battle tonight for the two qualifying spots in World Cup group E.
Level on four points with Switzerland, Brazil face Serbia (who are in third place with three points) in their final group game at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow (7pm, ITV). Switzerland, meanwhile, take on already eliminated Costa Rica in Nizhny Novgorod (7pm, ITV4).
Could World Cup favourites Brazil be eliminated at the group stage? It’s a possibility...
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Group E permutations
27 June fixtures: Serbia vs. Brazil (7pm, ITV); Switzerland vs. Costa Rica (7pm, ITV4)
Fifa.com explains the permutations in group E:
- Brazil will qualify if they avoid defeat against Serbia
- Switzerland will qualify if they win or draw against Costa Rica, or if Serbia lose their clash against Brazil
- Serbia will go through if they beat Brazil
- If Brazil lose to Serbia and Switzerland lose to Costa Rica, goal difference or disciplinary records could save Brazil
- If Serbia and Switzerland win then Brazil would be eliminated
- Costa Rica are out
Serbia vs. Brazil
- When: Wednesday 27 June
- Kick-off time: 7pm (UK time)
- Where: Spartak Stadium, Moscow
- TV channel: live on ITV1
The BBC reports that group E leaders Brazil should name an unchanged team for the clash against Serbia in Moscow - but Danilo (thigh) and Douglas Costa (hamstring) are not expected to make the bench.
Both teams can still top the group, finish second or be knocked out of the World Cup, but for Serbia it’s a must-win encounter, says Fifa.com.
Serbian newspapers today have called on their national team to “make history” and the front page headline of Sportski zurnal says: “Miracles are possible - the one who dares to, is the one who can.”
Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic is not expected to make any changes and he says his team will aim to exploit Brazil’s weaknesses. Krstajic told the BBC: “From day one when we saw the draw and the group many people thought that Brazil was the favourite to win the group and the competition.
“We are in a situation where we need to win against Brazil and we will focus and do whatever we can to win, nothing is impossible in life. We respect their status as favourites to win but they have some weaknesses and we will try to exploit them.”
Serbia vs. Brazil predicted starting XIs
How the teams could line up at the Spartak Stadium, according to Fifa.com:
- Serbia (4-5-1): Vladimir Stojkovic; Antonio Rukavina, Branislav Ivanovic, Dusko Tosic, Aleksandar Kolarov; Nemanja Matic, Luka Milivojevic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Dusan Tadic, Filip Kostic; Aleksandar Mitrovic
- Brazil (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Fagner, Miranda, Thiago Silva, Marcelo; Casemiro, Paulinho; Willian, Philippe Coutinho, Neymar; Gabriel Jesus
Switzerland vs. Costa Rica
- When: Wednesday 27 June
- Kick-off time: 7pm
- Where: Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
- TV channel: live on ITV4
Switzerland will qualify for the last 16 if they secure a point against Costa Rica, who are already eliminated after two straight losses in group E.
Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri and Stephan Lichtsteiner have avoided bans for making a “double-headed eagle gesture” in the win against Serbia, says the BBC, and will be available. All three were fined by Fifa.
Switzerland manager Vladimir Petkovic could make one change, The Daily Telegraph reports, by dropping Benfica striker Haris Seferovic. Mario Gavranovic or Breel Embolo will replace Seferovic.
Switzerland vs. Costa Rica predicted starting XIs
How the teams could line up at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, according to Fifa.com:
- Switzerland (4-2-3-1): Yann Sommer; Stephan Lichtsteiner, Fabian Schar, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez; Valon Behrami, Granit Xhaka; Xherdan Shaqiri, Blerim Dzemaili, Steven Zuber; Mario Gavranovic
- Costa Rica (5-4-1): Keylor Navas; Johnny Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Oscar Duarte, Bryan Oviedo, Cristian Gamboa; Celso Borges, David Guzman, Bryan Ruiz, Christian Bolanos; Marco Urena
