Back when it was still safe to believe that any one of 32 teams could win the World Cup, hope still reined among the squads. Those days are gone as we’re down to four teams, which means we’re in the stage of the tournament where defeats are more heartbreaking and triumphs are more exhilarating. Germany, Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands all deserve to be in this position.
But this is what’s cruel about the World Cup, whereas if you’re not first, you might as well be last. Three of these teams will suffer the same fate as the 28 before them, quite possibly in even more debilitating fashion than those that fell before them.
On paper, Germany vs Brazil has the magnitude of a finals showdown between two titans of the pitch. But make no mistake. Brazil not having Neymar will be felt on the pitch and on TV ratings. The Seleção will miss its golden boy but it’s still far from a walking duck, especially against a German club that has been, at least for its standards, just good enough to advance to this stage.
That’s why oddsmakers have been decidedly split between these two teams. How split? Most books have them as identical 9/5 odds to win with a draw at 11/5.
Tough as it is to see Brazil playing its style of play without Neymar and team captain Thiago Silva leading the charge, the Seleção is still more than capable of holding its own, especially against a German team that has yet to flex its own muscle in the tournament.
That’s a big reason why even without Neymar and Silva, most oddsmakers are still a little apprehensive about giving Germany a clear status as favorites. Maybe the fact that Brazil will be boosted by its home crowd will have a lot to do with it. But it doesn’t paint a flattering picture for Die Mannschaft that it’s not getting the respect from oddsmakers like they would have against a team missing its captain and franchise player.
With a game this close, a draw is quite honestly the smartest play. This has the makings of an extra time decision with the distinct possibility of the game even going to penalties.
If it does reach that point, we’re rolling with Brazil to escape by the slimmest of margins. The Seleção should move on to the finals but it’s going to have to scrape and claw its way just to get there.
Result: Brazil 1, Germany 1 (Penalty Shootout: 5-4)
