Russia vs. Brazil: fourth game

The Russians must have some unpleasant memories of their encounters with the Selection. I was looking at their history against us and there were only 3 games after the Soviet Union was dissolved. We won two games and tied one. In 1994 World Cup (USA) we won 2:0, then we tied in a friendly match in Moscow (1996) and we won again 5:1 in another friendly (1998) in Brazil. I hope they try to revenge this last game in Moscow when Brazil plays against Russia in March 1st.

Against CCCP (USSR) we also have a good advantage: 7 games – 5 wins – 1 tie – 1 loss. Of the 3 wins, 2 were at World Cups (58 and 82). If numbers and tradition have a real role to predict results, we are going to win once again. But if the Selection is starting to fall apart, we will see a really sad display of superstars failure in a strange comic style. Twilight Zone material.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see Parreira’s men fall on their asses? Chances of this happening? I say 30 percent. Maybe that could break the player’s confidence while bringing them back to the real Earth and its real dangers.

If Brazil win with difficulties it will be the worse case scenario. Chances of this happening? I say 60 percent. Parreira will be satisfied, players will be comfortable and things will remain the same, with that dreadful oba-oba mood.

If Brazil destroys the Russians with an outstanding first class performance and lots of goals we can get that extra power we need to uplift the spirits and play well in the World Cup. Chances of this happening? I say 10 percent. It will help to maintain the group strong and determined to prove Brazil’s supremacy.

One more issue: the game is too far away from the World Cup, and it is the last friendly game we will have. That just sucks. Anything that happen may be, at the end of the day, worthless. The game will be far in the past to be even considered when the big event begins.