Brazil vs Costa Rica, LIVE World Cup 2018: Neymar and Philippe Coutinho score - latest score, goals and updates plus how to watch online
Follow all the latest news from the Group E clash in St Petersburg
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Your support makes all the difference.All eyes will once again be on Neymar as Brazil look for their first win of this World Cup 2018 against Group E strugglers Costa Rica in Saint Petersburg.
The world’s most expensive footballer has been nursing an ankle problem in training this week, and Brazil cannot afford any more slip-ups after being held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland.
Defeat could see Costa Rica eliminated at the group stage, following their 1-0 loss to Serbia in Samara on Sunday.
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What time is it?
Brazil vs Costa Rica kicks off at 1pm.
Where can I watch it?
The game will be shown live on ITV. It will also be shown live on the ITV website via ITV Player.
Odds
- Brazil: 1/4
- Costa Rica: 20/1
- Draw: 6/1
Prediction
Brazil 2-0 Costa Rica: Even if Neymar doesn’t find top gear, Tite’s men have too much attacking firepower for organised but very limited opponents.
Brazil, of course, need points too and they've been given some words of encouragement from a man who knows a thing or two - a thing or two like Nicky Butt being one of the greats of the game.
4 mins: An early warning shot from Brazil after Bryan Ruiz gives possession away just outside his own box. It gifts Philippe Coutinho the opportunity to strike from long range but, for once, the Barcelona man is wildly off target.
I feel like this should state that Neymar was "fouled" ten times in the most inverted of inverted commas...
9 mins: Ruiz does brilliantly well to win possession, once more back on the edge of his own penalty area, but immediately gives the ball away again. The former Fulham man actually looks to have been pushed as Willian takes control, but there's no doubting the foul seconds later as Celso Borges barges into the back of the Brazilian. Neymar takes charge of the free-kick but his cross is comfortably cleared by the Costa Rican defence.
11 mins: A break in play allows Casemiro to rush to the touchline for treatment on a nose bleed. "He gets those when he enters the opposition penalty area," a wag amongst the Brazilian support shouts out.
13 mins: Costa Rica go close! Cristian Gamboa darts down the right and pulls a perfect low cross to the edge of the penalty area. Arriving was Borges to take on the shot first time, but the midfielder pulled his side-footed effort a yard wide of Allison's far post. The best move of the game so far.
15 mins: Neymar watch: The Paris Saint-Germain forward is not moving comfortably and freely, according to qualified doctor Clive Tyldesley.
19 mins: Gamboa excels down the right flank once again. The wing-back has not had a look in at Celtic in his two seasons with the Glasgow club but is impressing here which can only mean one thing - the standard of football in the SPFL is much greater than that played by the Brazilian national team.
23 mins: As Neymar drifts another non-threatening set-piece into the Costa Rican penalty area (as free-kick experts Coutinho and Willian watch on), it has to be said that Oscar Ramirez's team are currently looking comfortable in dealing with the Brazilian attack.
26 mins: Brazil have the ball in the back of the net, but the offside flag is up and it is the correct call. Neymar's run at goal from the left was initially blocked off by a defender, but Marcelo followed up to unleash a first time shot. The full-back's drive clattered straight into Gabriel Jesus ten yards from goal, who took a neat touch to control before swivelling a shot past Keylor Navas. Unfortunately for the striker, he was a good two yards offside and not even VAR can interfere to ruin that piece of play.
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