Brazilian Serie A - round 29 preview
With a seven-point lead over Santos, Sao Paulo hosts 10th place Juventude this weekend, knowing it must get the win to stay atop the table ahead of meetings against Gremio (next week) and Santos (November 5) away from home later in the tournament. Meanwhile, Santos travels to Rio to face Botafogo, and Gremio plays a relatively easier away match, against Sao Caetano. All leaders play on Saturday - as well as Cruzeiro and Fortaleza -, with six other matches on Sunday.
Here are my views for the matches this weekend:
CRUZEIRO x FORTALEZA: Cruzeiro is in its final push for a Libertadores spot, five points behind Parana in the standings. This week the team has a moral obligation to beat Fortaleza at home, even though the visitors' play of late seems to have been better than their results would indicate. An away draw against Sao Paulo and a win over Fluminense last month should serve as a reminder that the team has the ability to pull a surprise every now and then. Cruzeiro is unbeaten in five at home, while Fortaleza has lost only three times in its last ten away games.
BOTAFOGO x SANTOS: Good wins over Corinthians and Gremio have put Santos back in the fight for the league title. The team must still overcome a seven-point deficit against Sao Paulo in ten matches to reach the top of the table. Since it will face Sao Paulo next month, the team will be in good position if it manages to beat the rivals and win all home games, getting an occasional win or at least a draw away from home. This week has a tough but not impossible matchup with Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro. The locals are coming off a 1-0 away loss to Figueirense, and will want to win this one to keep safely out of harm's way in the battle against relegation. Botafogo has won four of its last five home games, with Santos winning one of its last six away matches (with three draws and two losses).
SAO PAULO x JUVENTUDE: Leader Sao Paulo will play Juventude at home. The visitors are in midtable form thanks to their great performances at home and not so great play away from Caxias do Sul. In order to keep a comfortable lead in the standings, Sao Paulo cannot afford to lose points here, but the team must keep its focus and play seriously to do so. Unbeaten in six at home, Sao Paulo will try to hand the visitors their fifth straight away loss.
SAO CAETANO x GREMIO: Sao Caetano seems condemned to play in the Serie B next year, and its total lack of fan support only adds to their problem. Dead last in attendance figures with just over 1,500 fans showing in average for each home game (and often less), the team cannot say it truly has home advantage here. That's good news for Gremio, coming off two away losses and desperately in need of a win to keep Sao Paulo within reach in the standings. Winless in eleven, Sao Caetano has lost its last six matches (two at home). Gremio has won only once in its last five away matches.
INTERNACIONAL x FLUMINENSE: Internacional still has a slim shot at the title, but in order to keep in the race for the top of the standings, the Libertadores champion must stop drawing at home. This week the match against Fluminense shouldn't normally present too much of a challenge, but the team from Rio is determined to recover from its current poor form that has it sitting dangerously close to the relegation zone, just two points ahead of Corinthians. Inter has won three of its last four at home, after a brief four-game winless streak at the Beira-Rio. Fluminense has lost three straight overall, and is winless in five away from home.
FIGUEIRENSE x PONTE PRETA: Ponte Preta managed to temporarily escape from the bottom four, but it will have a tough time this week away at Figueirense. Having just one more point than 17th place Corinthians, the team must try to get at least a point here, something which is not impossible. Figueirense, currently eighth in the standings, usually plays well at home and will do whatever it can to get the three points. Figueirense has lost only once at home in its last ten matches in Florianopolis, while Ponte is winless in nine away from Campinas, including three straight losses.
PARANA x GOIAS: Goias' remarkable comeback has seen the team put a seven-point cushion between itself and the relegation zone it found itself in not long ago. Parana will have a tough match at home this weekend, trying to keep pace with Inter in a fight for fourth place in the standings. The title seems a bit out of reach, but the team is focused on keeping a good run to secure a place in the Libertadores in 2007. The locals have won four of their last five games overall, including three straight at home. Goias is coming off three straight wins, including an away victory. Prior to that away triumph, however, the team had an eight-game winless stint away from home.
FLAMENGO x CORINTHIANS: Amidst a crisis that reached new levels this week with the team's elimination from the Copa Sudamericana, Corinthians travels to Rio de Janeiro to face Flamengo, in a match between the two most popular teams in the country. Corinthians is currently in 17th place with 32 points, but Flamengo is not that much better, in 14th place with four more points. Another loss could mean trouble for Corinthians' coach Emerson Leao. Corinthians is winless in four overall, having lost its last two games. Flamengo lost to Palmeiras last weekend, but has won four of its last six games.
SANTA CRUZ x VASCO: Time is running out for Santa Cruz, which still finds itself in dead last, two points behind Sao Caetano. Put simply, the team cannot afford to lose more points at home, and must beat Vasco this weekend to keep its dream of remaining in the Serie A alive. The team from Rio has not been playing well lately, falling five points behind Parana in the race for the last Libertadores spot in 2007. With just two wins and seven losses in its last nine games, Santa hopes to play like it has in wins over Juventude and Palmeiras late in September. Vasco finally won last weekend, beating Fortaleza 2-0 at home after a seven-game winless streak.
PALMEIRAS x ATLETICO PARANAENSE: Atletico confirmed its role as the lone Brazilian team left in the Copa Sudamericana after a draw with River Plate on Thursday. This Sunday, the team must travel to Sao Paulo to face another tough match, against Palmeiras, which is still trying to see if interim coach Marcelo Vilar has what it takes to be in charge in place of fired coach Tite. With three straight home wins, the team looks good to get the three points again. Atletico has only two draws and a win to show for in its last nine away games.
Here are my views for the matches this weekend:
CRUZEIRO x FORTALEZA: Cruzeiro is in its final push for a Libertadores spot, five points behind Parana in the standings. This week the team has a moral obligation to beat Fortaleza at home, even though the visitors' play of late seems to have been better than their results would indicate. An away draw against Sao Paulo and a win over Fluminense last month should serve as a reminder that the team has the ability to pull a surprise every now and then. Cruzeiro is unbeaten in five at home, while Fortaleza has lost only three times in its last ten away games.
BOTAFOGO x SANTOS: Good wins over Corinthians and Gremio have put Santos back in the fight for the league title. The team must still overcome a seven-point deficit against Sao Paulo in ten matches to reach the top of the table. Since it will face Sao Paulo next month, the team will be in good position if it manages to beat the rivals and win all home games, getting an occasional win or at least a draw away from home. This week has a tough but not impossible matchup with Botafogo in Rio de Janeiro. The locals are coming off a 1-0 away loss to Figueirense, and will want to win this one to keep safely out of harm's way in the battle against relegation. Botafogo has won four of its last five home games, with Santos winning one of its last six away matches (with three draws and two losses).
SAO PAULO x JUVENTUDE: Leader Sao Paulo will play Juventude at home. The visitors are in midtable form thanks to their great performances at home and not so great play away from Caxias do Sul. In order to keep a comfortable lead in the standings, Sao Paulo cannot afford to lose points here, but the team must keep its focus and play seriously to do so. Unbeaten in six at home, Sao Paulo will try to hand the visitors their fifth straight away loss.
SAO CAETANO x GREMIO: Sao Caetano seems condemned to play in the Serie B next year, and its total lack of fan support only adds to their problem. Dead last in attendance figures with just over 1,500 fans showing in average for each home game (and often less), the team cannot say it truly has home advantage here. That's good news for Gremio, coming off two away losses and desperately in need of a win to keep Sao Paulo within reach in the standings. Winless in eleven, Sao Caetano has lost its last six matches (two at home). Gremio has won only once in its last five away matches.
INTERNACIONAL x FLUMINENSE: Internacional still has a slim shot at the title, but in order to keep in the race for the top of the standings, the Libertadores champion must stop drawing at home. This week the match against Fluminense shouldn't normally present too much of a challenge, but the team from Rio is determined to recover from its current poor form that has it sitting dangerously close to the relegation zone, just two points ahead of Corinthians. Inter has won three of its last four at home, after a brief four-game winless streak at the Beira-Rio. Fluminense has lost three straight overall, and is winless in five away from home.
FIGUEIRENSE x PONTE PRETA: Ponte Preta managed to temporarily escape from the bottom four, but it will have a tough time this week away at Figueirense. Having just one more point than 17th place Corinthians, the team must try to get at least a point here, something which is not impossible. Figueirense, currently eighth in the standings, usually plays well at home and will do whatever it can to get the three points. Figueirense has lost only once at home in its last ten matches in Florianopolis, while Ponte is winless in nine away from Campinas, including three straight losses.
PARANA x GOIAS: Goias' remarkable comeback has seen the team put a seven-point cushion between itself and the relegation zone it found itself in not long ago. Parana will have a tough match at home this weekend, trying to keep pace with Inter in a fight for fourth place in the standings. The title seems a bit out of reach, but the team is focused on keeping a good run to secure a place in the Libertadores in 2007. The locals have won four of their last five games overall, including three straight at home. Goias is coming off three straight wins, including an away victory. Prior to that away triumph, however, the team had an eight-game winless stint away from home.
FLAMENGO x CORINTHIANS: Amidst a crisis that reached new levels this week with the team's elimination from the Copa Sudamericana, Corinthians travels to Rio de Janeiro to face Flamengo, in a match between the two most popular teams in the country. Corinthians is currently in 17th place with 32 points, but Flamengo is not that much better, in 14th place with four more points. Another loss could mean trouble for Corinthians' coach Emerson Leao. Corinthians is winless in four overall, having lost its last two games. Flamengo lost to Palmeiras last weekend, but has won four of its last six games.
SANTA CRUZ x VASCO: Time is running out for Santa Cruz, which still finds itself in dead last, two points behind Sao Caetano. Put simply, the team cannot afford to lose more points at home, and must beat Vasco this weekend to keep its dream of remaining in the Serie A alive. The team from Rio has not been playing well lately, falling five points behind Parana in the race for the last Libertadores spot in 2007. With just two wins and seven losses in its last nine games, Santa hopes to play like it has in wins over Juventude and Palmeiras late in September. Vasco finally won last weekend, beating Fortaleza 2-0 at home after a seven-game winless streak.
PALMEIRAS x ATLETICO PARANAENSE: Atletico confirmed its role as the lone Brazilian team left in the Copa Sudamericana after a draw with River Plate on Thursday. This Sunday, the team must travel to Sao Paulo to face another tough match, against Palmeiras, which is still trying to see if interim coach Marcelo Vilar has what it takes to be in charge in place of fired coach Tite. With three straight home wins, the team looks good to get the three points again. Atletico has only two draws and a win to show for in its last nine away games.
posted by fejas @ 1:14 PM
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