We’re still in the very early stages of World Cup qualifying in South America, but Brazil fans are already concerned. Through three matches, the Canarinho have just four points thanks to a loss to Chile and an away draw to Argentina. Those results leave Brazil five points off the pace in fourth place, which isn’t exactly where they want to be right now -- both players and fans hope that a visit from eighth-place Peru will help get them that much-needed second win.
Brazil vs. Peru 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch World Cup qualifying online
Brazil need their second CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying win, but Peru won’t be an easy opponent.
Billie Weiss/Getty Images
Of course, that might be easier said than done. Peru have struggled early in their qualifying run as well, with just three points from Friday’s win over Paraguay. That doesn’t mean they’re a pushover, though -- they’re a tough-nosed team and finished third in last summer’s Copa America for a reason. This won’t be a simple, straightforward win for Brazil by any means. Peru are going to fight and scrape and claw for all 90 minutes, and while they may not be as good as Brazil on paper, their smashmouth defense and hard-working attack will do everything they can to minimize that gap.
Key Brazil player -- Neymar
One of the most talented attackers in the world, Neymar has been in spectacular form for Barcelona in recent weeks, but his play for Brazil against Argentina last Friday left much to be desired. He struggled to get involved in his side’s attack, often looking like he was on a completely different page compared to his teammates, expecting passes to go to different places or teammates to make different runs or decisions. If he can’t get in line with his team, it’s going to be much harder for Brazil to get their attack rolling, and against a resolute Peru defense, that could prove problematic.
Key Peru player -- Carlos Zambrano
Zambrano is one of Peru’s most experienced defenders and arguably their most talented, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him in this match. Between helping organize his fellow defenders and dealing with whatever one-on-one threats he’ll face, likely frequently including Neymar, he’s going to have a lot on his plate from first whistle to last. How he responds to the challenge will directly dictate how Peru perform in this match, because if he gets overwhelmed and falls apart, stopping Brazil’s attack will be next to impossible.
Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. local
Venue: Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil
TV: beIN Sports en Español (U.S. - Spanish), Globo (Brazil), Andina de Television (Peru)
Online: beIN Sports Connect, Fubo TB (U.S.)
See More:
