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As I sat and watch Brazil’s attack struggle to put Switzerland’s defense under all that much pressure in their Group E opener last weekend, I couldn’t help but think to myself something we’ve uttered a lot during the Juventus season.
“Man, bringing on Douglas Costa sure would be a good idea right now...”
The resident speed burner for a winger who has been known to have lightning bolts cut into his hair never stepped onto the field as Brazil ended up drawing with Switzerland.
As we sit here a few hours before kickoff, we’re not sure what Costa’s involvement against Costa Rica will be. Knowing that there are doubts up front, Costa may start. Knowing that there are doubts up front, Costa may start on the bench once again. These are the decisions that are made by somebody who is in a completely different position and tax bracket than I am.
As much as we want to say that this is a day that features a player we all dream will be on Juventus a few weeks from now (Sergej Milinkovic-Savic) playing against a Juventus staple for the better part of the last decade (Stephan Lichtsteiner), this is the day where Brazil could very well look meh again or look like a team that had many people picking them to win the whole damn thing.
Can they do it, though?
It’s not like Costa Rica got its head beaten in by Serbia.
And it’s not like Switzerland are total scrubs.
So, here we are. Wondering if Brazil can turn its tournament-opening dud into something much, much better the second time around. With only three group stage games, the room for error just got a whole lot smaller after a 1-1 draw right out of the gate.
(For the record, PLAY DOUGLAS COSTA.)
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Group E — Brazil-Costa Rica: 8 a.m. Eastern Time, 5 a.m. Pacific (NBC link here)
Group D — Nigeria-Iceland: 1 1 a.m. Eastern Time, 8 a.m. Pacific (NBC link here)
Group E — Serbia-Switzerland: 2 p.m. Eastern Time, 11 a.m. Pacific (NBC link here)
HOW TO WATCH
Television: Brazil-Costa Rica will be shown on Fox Sports 1; Nigeria-Iceland and Switzerland-Serbia will be shown on FOX (United States); TSN4, TSN5 (Canada); UTV, STV Scotland, ITV1 UK (United Kingdom)
Online/mobile: Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (links above); Fox Sports Go (United States); TSN GO, RDS GO (Canada); The ITV Hub (United Kingdom)
Note: This post will be updated daily as the main World Cup viewing and off-topic thread here at BWRAO. So, if you see comments from a previous day or a game that you already know took place, fret not. Keep the discussion going ... and going ... and going. Rack up those comments into the hundreds and thousands!
Stay tuned to BWRAO for posts regarding Juventus’ representation in Russia as well as any transfer-related happenings that take place before, during or after the day’s schedule comes and goes.