Following the end of the 2020/21 European football competitions, international football takes centre stage, including the South American World Cup qualifiers and the Copa America 2021 — as Brazil aims to maintain a perfect record against in-form Ecuador.

Event # 1 – WCQ – Brazil vs Ecuador – 7:30 pm

South American World Cup qualifiers return with a bang as table toppers Brazil play host to third-placed Ecuador. Brazil will be looking to maintain their 100 per cent record in CONMEBOL Fifa World Cup qualification when they host Ecuador in Porto Alegre on Friday. The two South American nations are the highest scoring teams after the opening four matches, with the Selecao, Brazil, scoring 12 goals and the visitors finding the net 13 times.

So far, Brazil have brushed aside all-comers, including an impressive 2-0 away win to Uruguay in their last match before the COVID-19-enforced break. The Brazilians, who have an embarrassment of riches, in terms of the playing squad to choose from, have been in beast mode so far, securing 12 points from a possible 12 and conceded two goals. The Brazilians are on a run of five straight wins, four of which have come with a clean sheet.

Meanwhile, Ecuador have made an impressive start to their World Cup campaign, hardly putting a foot wrong, and surprising everyone with their excellent form, so far, in the qualifiers. They have been simply brutal in their attack, scoring goals at will, including a 6-1 demolition of a star-studded Colombia side to send shockwaves throughout the footballing world. The Ecuadorians have scored 13 goals and conceded just 5 times while winning 3 and losing just once from their opening four World Cup qualifying games.

Brazil beat Uruguay 2-0 in their last game away, while Ecuador defeated Bolivia 2-1 in their last game, so both teams will head into this expected thriller full of confidence.

KEY STATS

• Brazil – have won four of their last five matches against Ecuador, including a 2-0 win when both sides last met back in 2017.

• Ecuador – after losing 1-0 to Argentina in their opening World Cup qualifier, Ecuador roared back with three straight victories including the 4-2 and 6-1 hammering of South American heavyweights Uruguay and Colombia, the highest back-to-back scoring feat in their history.

• Both sides – in their last two head-to-head meetings, Brazil have won both matches while Ecuador have failed to score against the Brazilians. No matches between them have ended in a draw.

The betting tip. Brazil win.

Event # 2 Copa – Copa America 2021 – South America

South America’s largest football tournament, the Copa America, was moved on Monday to Brazil after the recent COVID-19 surge in Argentina and social unrest in Colombia saw the co-host stripped of the right to host the marquee event.

Brazil last hosted the Copa America in 2019 and duly won it on home soil. Had Argentina and Colombia co-hosted the tournament, it would have been the first time the Copa America was co-hosted by two countries.

Copa America 2021 will be the 47th edition of football’s oldest national team tournament. It will kick off on June 13 as was originally scheduled with the grand finale on July 10. Argentina versus Chile will be the tournament’s opening match, while Brazil will take on Venezuela a day later. Having made it to four of the last six finals, Argentina are tipped to win the title they last won in 1993, when hosted by Ecuador. However, the Brazilians are on fire at the moment and should now be favoured to win consecutive Copa titles with the tournament being played in Brazil.

Uruguay has won the most Copa America trophies (15) followed by Argentina (14), and Brazil comes third with 9. Brazil’s Everton Soares won the Copa America golden boot in the last edition (2019) with 3 goals. Meanwhile, another Brazilian, Zizinho, is the all-time Copa America top goalscorer with 17 goals.

JUSTBET ODDS – Brazil vs EcuadorSaturday, May 29, 2021

Prediction Odds on Prediction Odds Calculation

BRAZIL TO WIN $1.26 which means a $1000 bet would pay $1,260

ECUADOR TO WIN $10.00 which means a $1000 bet would pay

$10,000

MATCH TO DRAW $5.40 which means a $1000 bet would pay $5,400

Odds on the Home Team

(Brazil) winning the game

3-1 at full time $9.40 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay

$9,400

Odds on the Away Team

(Ecuador) winning the game

1-2 at full time $26.00 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay

$26,000

Odds on the game drawing

2-2 at full time $23.00 which means that a $1,000 bet would pay

$23,000.