Brazil to win to nil – 4/6
Every single statistic points towards Brazil winning the Copa America while keeping a clean sheet.
The hosts are yet to concede a goal at the tournament, despite twice being held to scoreless draws by underdogs Venezuela and Paraguay. They also demolished Peru 5-0 in the group stages in the one game where it really all came together for them.
Peru were awful in that 5-0 drubbing and won’t be as bad again on Sunday, but they will still struggle to make an impression on Brazil.
They have only managed to score in two of their five games – against Bolivia and Chile – and have lacked invention up front for the most part.
Furthermore, there has not yet been a knockout game where both teams have managed to find the net. That is largely down to the absence of extra time and a team’s ability to shut up shop and play for penalties.
That is not the case for the Copa America final, but it plays into Brazil’s hands if anything. Peru benefitted from a lack of extra time against Uruguay in the quarter finals and cannot hope to do so again on Sunday.
They simply won’t be able to hold out for 120 minutes and Brazil should break their resistance in normal time.
Everton Soares to score anytime – 23/10
The Gremio star has stepped into Neymar’s boots capably at the Copa America this year, registering two goals in just three starts.
His form has kept highly-rated Ajax winner David Neres out of the starting XI throughout the latter stages of the tournament and he is reportedly on the radar of a number of top clubs, namely Manchester City.
With two goals, Everton is Brazil’s joint top scorer at the tournament and he will fancy his chances of adding to that tally against a team he has already found the back of the net against before.
His two goals have come from outside the area and, against a Peru side that is bound to drop deep, that sort of long-range shooting could prove crucial in Sunday’s final.
Draw half time/ Brazil full time – 13/5
Brazil ran away with it the last time they faced Peru, scoring three times by the 32nd minute, but don’t expect a similar story on Sunday.
That group game was the worst performance the Peruvians have turned out this decade and the first two goals came courtesy of some comical and uncharacteristically bad defending.
At half time, with score already 3-0, hopes of a comeback were non-existent and Brazil eased to a 5-0 hammering.
Peru, as they proved against both Uruguay and Chile, are dogged and difficult to break down. They will make life difficult for Brazil and look to pounce on the counter. Their resistance should break, but not before they’ve given the home fans something to moan about.
Brazil could be heading in at half time to the sound of booing and whistling.
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