Brazil v England: Maracana to stage Selecao comeback victory

With Maracana safety worries now quelled, it is appropriate that the first match at the Rio de Janeiro stadium will be contested between two football juggernauts in the form of Brazil and England.

And it is no surprise to see the hosts as 4/7 favourites to christen their rebuilt national stadium with victory, given the immense expectation bestowed upon the five-time World Cup winners.

England, who have drawn their last two games, are 11/4 to extend that record to three in a row, and a big 5/1 to triumph in light of their 2-1 Wembley defeat of the Selecao back in February.

But the Three Lions’ concerning recent record on the road makes either of those outcomes look unlikely, with the sole success of their past four away matches an 8-0 demolition of San Marino, positioned 207th in FIFA’s world rankings.

That said, there is reason to suggest Roy Hodgson’s men can get off on the front foot in Rio, especially considering they have opened the scoring in four of their past five encounters opposing Brazil.

It is a tempting 2/1 that the visitors strike first, but greater value can be obtained from backing the hosts to return from an early setback and go on to win the match.

Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men are a massive 17/2 to come from behind and eventually prevail, and can be backed at 4/1 to concede first but win or draw, as they have in three of their last five meetings with England.

Alternatively, big-stake punters will see value in the 5/6 that both teams simply register, given that it has been a year since either team played out a game in which they didn’t find the net.

And with the hosts favoured to triumph, 5/2 appears a very fair price regarding a Brazilian success which features the breaching of both defences.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.