Rio Rivals Meet in Brazilian Serie A

There are two mid-week fixtures in the Brazilian Serie A this week, the second of which takes place on Wednesday.  Two Rio de Janeiro based clubs meet as Botafogo welcome Vasco da Gama to the Estádio Nilton Santos.

This is an important match for both teams but for different reasons.  Botafogo are clinging on to a Copa Sudamerica place as they are currently 12th in the table.  However, they are also trying to keep themselves clear of the relegation zone.

Vasco da Gama on the other hand already find themselves in the bottom four and need a win or a draw to move themselves clear of the relegation zone.

Botafogo come into this game having been dumped out of the last 16 of the Copa Sudamerica by Bahia. Despite winning the second leg 2-1 on home soil, Botafogo lost out on penalties.  It was a disappointing outcome, especially against a team who are so close to them in the Brazilian Serie A.

Trends show Botafogo have lost just one of their last five games in Serie A.  There have been wins over America Mineiro at home and Vitoria away plus draws against Cruzeiro and Sao Paulo, both of which were at home.  The only defeat was 1-0 at Fluminense.

Botafogo have a very good home record and have lost only one of their last fourteen Serie A matches at the Estádio Nilton Santos.  Trends show they have kept a clean sheet in six of their last nine league games on home soil including two of the last four and there have been under 2.5 goals scored in eight of their last ten.

Vasco da Gama have been struggling to win games in the Brazilian Serie A and come into this match having last played on the 2nd October, which was a 1-1 draw at Parana. Despite being undefeated in their last four Serie A games, Vasco da Gama have won only one of them, which was 2-1 at home to Bahia.

Their away record is very poor and while they have picked up a draw in each of their last two away games, trends show Vasco da Gama have won just one of their last fifteen away league matches.  Scoring goals has been a problem and Vasco da Gama have scored just 3 goals in their last seven away games.

Looking ahead to the team news and Botafogo are missing two goalkeepers as Jefferson and Gatitito Fernandez remain on the treatment table.  Leonardo Valencia is struggling with a muscle injury and could miss out.

Vasco da Gama will be without central defender Leandro Castan who is suspended but every other player should be available for Alberto Valentim’s team.

Form suggests this could be a very close game.  We are unlikely to see a great number of goals and the match could easily end level, with under 2.5 goals being scored.