Thread: Ireland v Brazil

Ronaldinho was surprisingly left out of the Brazil squad to face Ireland at the Emirates Stadium tonight, and it looks like, despite his recent excellent form for AC Milan, that he will not be going to this summer’s World Cup finals.

He will be missed, but Brazil have a multitude of players who can fill in, in his absence. Robinho (7/1, Coral) already looks more comfortable back in Santos than he ever did in Manchester, and Luis Fabiano (4/1, Coral) is many people’s pick to be top scorer in South Africa, having been in excellent form for the past three or four seasons at Sevilla.

A surprise package could be the young forward Nilmar (11/2, Bet365) who scored against England last year. The Villarreal striker has eight goals in sixteen La Liga matches this season, and is one of the most under-rated young Brazilian’s playing in Europe at the moment. If he starts, which looks likely, it is worth having a punt on the former Lyon striker at 15/8 (ExtraBet) to find the net at any time.

Of course, the biggest danger to the Irish defence will be Real Madrid ‘galactico’ Kaka (7/1, ExtraBet) who has been playing some of the best football of his career in the last few months, and will have to be shadowed all game by Glenn Whelan.

Ireland don’t often get badly beaten, and playing in London involves next to no travelling for their Premiership players, but they won’t have a capacity Croke Park, like they did against France, to roar them on, and much of the support will be neutral at the Emirates. Robbie Keane (8/1, Boylesports) has gone backwards somewhat since facing France, and Kevin Doyle (11/1, Bet365) is hardly prolific for Wolves.

It is 15/2 (VictorChandler) that Ireland beat Brazil tonight, but a better bet is either going big on the South Americans at 1/2 (Bet365) or else to take Dunga’s men on the minus one goal handicap (6/4, Bet365).

A largely reserve Brazil side dominated an England second string last year, and was more talent that day for England than there will be for Ireland this evening. Dunga won’t take the game lightly, as they need to prepare for their World Cup ‘group of death’, and the idea of Dani Alves (20/1,Bluesq) and Maicon (33/1, Coral) doubling up to attack Kevin Kilbane (50/1, Bet365) down the Irish left side, is a frightening one.

A two-nil (11/2, SkyBet) or three-nil (10/1, Bluesq) Brazilian win looks like the game’s most likely final score, in what should be an excellent exhibition match, that will be well worth watching.

Anybody want a link for this game?

5 past 8

Originally Posted by pual

Anybody want a link for this game?

Ill take one mate, thanks.

Originally Posted by Ghod

Ill take one mate, thanks.

One of these should work. Try near kick off

http://www.veetle.com/frameworked/in...#4b8aab9537e6e



http://www.veetle.com/frameworked/in...#4b3a31f6e460c

Ireland are looking good so far.

How has Kilbane got so many caps?

Its a mystery

We are all over them so far.

See Duff spit on himself there? :loel: