World Cup Group G could end up being a tougher group than many expect. World Cup record holders Brazil enter the 2022 World Cup as sportsbook’s favorites to lift the trophy however they face stiff opposition from Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon, all who topped their 2022 World Cup qualification groups.
Brazil forward Neymar looks back during match against Peru. © Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
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| World Cup Group G Fixtures | When (ET) | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland vs Cameroon | November 24, 8am | Al Janoub Stadium |
| Brazil vs Serbia | November 24, 2pm | Lusail Stadium |
| Cameroon vs Serbia | November 28, 5am | Al Janoub Stadium |
| Brazil vs Switzerland | November 28, 11am | Stadium 974 |
| Cameroon vs Brazil | December 2, 2pm | Lusail Stadium |
| Serbia vs Switzerland | December 2, 2pm | Stadium 974 |
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World Cup Group G will be contested by Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland once again. The three sides faced each other in the 2018 World Cup with Brazil topping the group and Switzerland progressing to the knockout stage. Not to forget Cameroon who aren’t to be underestimated in Group G, the African side topped their group ahead of Ivory Coast and will be a tricky team to play against.
Five time champions Brazil head to Qatar as favorites to lift the trophy and they’ll need a strong start if they are to show they mean business. They possess plenty of talent across the board including the experienced Neymar and Thiago Silva to the young and exciting Raphina and Gabriel Jesus. Brazil has only ever been eliminated in the group stage twice in their history with the last time coming in 1966.
Switzerland performed brilliantly during qualification and will be another tough team to beat. They topped their group ahead of Italy with the meanest defense, conceding just two in eight games - the fewest in European qualifying. We expect to see them qualify out of the group stage in second place.
Brazil to top group G (-227)
Switzerland to qualify to knockout rounds (+100)
Brazil head into the 2022 World Cup as favorites after impressing in recent years, they currently sit first in the FIFA world rankings and it is no reason why. They have a well balanced roster with experienced players and young talent that will be looking to make a breakthrough on the world’s biggest stage. Brazil and the World Cup is an iconic sporting duo, they are the record holders for most World Cups won and always look to entertain when they perform.
Brazil's Thiago Silva plays the ball against the USA. © Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
During qualification Brazil topped their difficult group overcoming Chile, Argentina and Uruguay without losing a single match. Out of the 17 qualifying games, they won 14 games and drew three, scoring 40 times and conceding just five goals. These statistics highlight Brazil’s outstanding attack and formidable defense which will make them a tough team to defeat.
Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, commonly known as Tite will take his side to Qatar with pressure of a nation who want more World Cup success and may still be haunted by the nation’s humiliating 7-1 semifinal thrashing by Germany whilst Brazil were hosting the tournament. Brazil has reached the quarterfinals of every World Cup since 1990 and we expect them to reach that stage again this winter.
Brazil to score over 8.5 team goals
Brazil to reach the quarterfinals (-227)
Similarly to Serbia, Switzerland topped their World Cup qualification group against the odds as they overcame Euro 2020 winners Italy who failed to make it to the 2022 World Cup after losing to North Macedonia in the play offs. Switzerland displayed brilliant defensive performances as they only conceded two goals during their qualification period, showing they will keep it tight at the back and will be difficult to score against.
Switzerland will head to their 12th World Cup tournament with their best finish coming in 1934, 1938 and 1954 with quarterfinal exits. In recent history, Switzerland has been eliminated from the competition in the Round of 16 in the last two World Cups however they reached the quarterfinals of the 2020 Euros by beating France in a penalty shootout. We predict this decent Swiss side to carry on their streak of making it out of the group stage at international tournaments of late.
Switzerland to qualify to the knockout stage (+100)
Switzerland to concede under 3.5 team goals
Serbians will be optimistic heading to Qatar that their nation’s soccer team can progress from World Cup Group G. This is due to Serbia’s unbeaten run in their qualification group which saw them withstand Portugal twice coming from behind in both games to pick up four points from Cristiano Ronaldo’s side. The final game in European World Cup qualifying group A saw Serbia face Portugal in a massive match that would guarantee first place and book their spot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Renato Sanches scored in the second minute giving Portugal an early lead before Dusan Tadic equalised in the 33rd minute. The scoreline remained 1-1 until Aleksandar Mitrović scored in the 90th minute to send Serbia to the World Cup.
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The Fulham striker has had an unbelievable season with his club in the 2021/22 campaign. Mitrović scored an incredible 43 league goals helping Fulham lift the Championship title and head straight back up to the Premier League. The forward was Serbia’s top scorer in qualifying and we can see him netting in Qatar as he did at the 2018 World Cup.
Serbia’s ultimate match with Switzerland could decide which nation makes it through to the knockout stage, they side will have confidence after showing they can beat 2016 Euro winners Portugal however it will be a tough group to qualify from.
Alexander Mitrovic top team goalscorer
Serbia over 2.5 team goals
Cameroon qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in dramatic style, after topping their group with five wins from six games they progressed to the play offs where they would face an Algeria side with some big names in their roster such as Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez. The play off matches spanned over two legs which saw Cameroon lose 1-0 at home in the first match however the second leg is where the drama started.
The central African side scored in the 22nd minute thanks to a goal from Bayern Munich’s Eric Choupo-Moting which took the game to extra time. The North Africans felt aggrieved after having two goals disallowed however they eventually took the lead in the 118th minute making World Cup qualification within touching distance. This was until a goal at the death for Cameroon who went through on the away goals rule with a 124th minute winner to steal it.
Cameroon head to their eighth World Cup in 2022 after not qualifying for the previous tournament, nation will know they have a hard task in front of them and history is not on their side. They have only reached the knock stage of the competition once which was in 1990 and we can’t see that changing this time round.
Cameroon to finish bottom of World Cup Group G
Cameroon to not qualify to the knockout stage (-333)
World Cup Group G are paired with Group H which is comprised of the following nations: Portugal, Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea. If Brazil top their group which they are poised to do, they will play the runners up of Group H which will most likely be Uruguay or Ghana. Their meeting this World Cup will hold a lot of weight behind it after Luis Suárez’s quarterfinal red card in the 120th minute that denied Ghana a goal that would have sent them into the semis with a handball on the line during the 2010 World Cup.
If Uruguay finish second in their group, it will most likely set up an all South American Round of 16 clash with Brazil which will be a feisty clash as seen in past fixtures between the two. We would expect Brazil to progress from this tie due to their better starting 11 and World Cup experience. This could give them the chance to play Spain in the next round and maybe even a mouth watering tie against Argentina in the semifinals if both sides make it that far.
If our Group G predictions are correct, Switzerland will qualify for the knockout rounds in second place and would face the winners of Group H who sportsbooks have Portugal as favorites. We would expect Portugal to qualify and potentially set up an exciting game against Belgium in the quarterfinals.
Brazil has a plethora of attacking talent including Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Coutinho to name a few. Richarlison completed his move to Tottenham from Everton for $90million and will be hoping for plenty of game time at the World Cup. We could be in for a surprise exclusion from Brazil’s squad due to the sheer number of forwards available, meaning the first half of the 2022/23 season will have plenty of Brazilians looking to impress.
Aleksander Mitrović had an electric 2021/22 campaign as he scored 43 league goals and helped Fulham achieve promotion to the Premier League. If the Serbian striker can translate that form to England’s top division, he will head to Qatar full of confidence. Dušan Tadić will be a key player in creating chances for Mitrović and Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, the attacking trio will be starting each World Cup match for Serbia if they are available.
Xherdan Shaqiri has been a key player for Switzerland in previous tournaments, most recently at the 2020 European Championships where he scored three goals. Currently playing his club soccer for Chicago Fire, Shaqiri will be used to the hot climate that many players will endure in Qatar.
Former PSG attacker Eric Choupo-Moting is Cameroon’s biggest star and was their top goal scorer during World Cup qualifying. The Bayern Munich forward scored three goals as they dramatically booked their ticket to Qatar. Choupo-Moting has played with some of the biggest names in soccer and will need to draw on that experience for Cameroon if they are to have a successful tournament.
Neymar was the poster boy for Brazil’s 2014 World Cup campaign scoring four goals as they reached the semifinals. In the 2018 World Cup, the PSG star added another two World Cup goals to his tally but Brazil were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Neymar will be hoping he can lead his nation further in the 2022 World Cup and with the players around him, he has a very good chance of achieving that goal. The skilful forward’s 2021/22 season was hit with an ankle injury which sidelined him for two months however Neymar still recorded 13 goals in 22 appearances for PSG. The former Barcelona player also was Brazil’s topscorer in qualifying, he is also the nation’s penalty taker which should see him gain a spot kick or two as Brazil like to get in behind the opponent’s defense.
Brazil forward Neymar looks back during match against Peru. © Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Vlahović burst onto the scene in 2021 for Fiorentina scoring game after game. He equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of most goals scored in Serie A in a calendar year of 33 and nearly beat it but failed to score on the last game of the year. The Serbian’s ability did not go unnoticed with many clubs chasing his signature, he joined Juventus in January with the aim of impressing on the biggest stages and there is no bigger stage than the World Cup, we can see him showing his finishing ability in Qatar and scoring a couple of goals.
Dušan Vlahović to score over 1.5 goals
Neymar to be the top goalscorer in the group
