Brazil vs North Korea – samba stars to start as they mean to go on

Brazil will mix brawn with beauty to flummox a novice North Korea side in their match which kicks off at 7.30pm in Johannesburg.

To say the five-time winners are nailed-on certainties to beat the Asian side ranked 105th in the world would be understating things. They are 1/12 to win compared to North Korea’s 25/1.

Even the draw is far-fetched and is priced at 9/1.

The last time Brazil didn’t win their opening fixture at the World Cup was eight matches ago in 1978, when they drew 1-1 with Sweden.

North Korea have no such World Cup pedigree, having only appeared once before, at the 1966 tournament.

The Brazilians are 9/2 second favourites to lift the trophy for a sixth time in South Africa and it’s not difficult to see why.

Dunga has amassed a squad full of substance with a rock solid defence providing the platform for key play-makers Robinho and Kaka to express their talents.

Little has been said about these two in the build up to the World Cup after disappointing seasons, but their form for Brazil suggests they could be key players in the nation’s success at the tournament.

Kaka is 9/2 to score first, while Robinho is 7/2.

Brazil have won their last five matches while conceding only once, and look set to continue that run against a North Korea side who haven’t won in eight previous outings.

And while the Asian team have only once in their last 15 games let in more than two goals in a match, we should expect Brazil, wanting to finish top of Group G (1/2), to go for a high score.

A 3-0 Brazil win at seems the minimum tally the likes of Luis Fabiano and co will notch (it’s 5/1), with 4-0 also representing good value at 13/2.

For more ways of benefiting from what is sure to be an easy Brazil win, it may be worth going for Brazil/Brazil in the Half-time/Full-time market at 2/7 – it would have seen a return in their last four games – and Over 3.5 in the Total Goals market at 6/5.

Is the game really such a formality or can North Korea spring a surprise like their 1966 defeat of Italy? It is 25/1 for them to repeat the 1-0 scoreline.