Brazilian Serie B has full fixture list on Tuesday

A full schedule on Tuesday marks the 17th round of the 2007 Brazilian Serie B football league. With ten games scheduled for tonight, the fight for one of the four spots in the Serie A next year continues.

Leaders Criciuma, already seven points clear of second place Marilia, travel to Jundiai to face 18th place Paulista, which would be dropping to the Serie C if the tournament ended today. With three wins and one draw in its last four games, the leaders hope to do better on the road today than they did the last couple of times they were in Sao Paulo State, losing 3-2 to Ponte Preta and tying Santo Andre 3-3. Paulista started the season on the wrong foot, but slowly the team has been getting better results, including its last match, a 1-0 road win over Vitoria.

Marilia lost six points due to the irregular use of players early in the season, but from a spot in the relegation zone the team has climbed the standings to reach second place prior to Tuesday's games. If not for these lost points, the team would trail Criciuma by a single point. Tonight it faces tenth place Ipatinga at home, defending a nine-game unbeaten streak. The visitors have yet to win away from home, and don't look like they could do it tonight, despite a good 3-0 home win over Gama in the last game. Midfielder Reginaldo may return from injury for the locals, while Ipatinga will likely field the same team as the one that beat Gama.

Third place Coritiba tries to improve its road record when it travels to Sao Paulo to face Portuguesa. The visitors have won two, drawn two and lost four of the eight games it played on the road in the Serie B, while Portuguesa - in eighth with 24 points - has five wins, one loss and two draws at home. Midfielder Preto and defender Bruno Rodrigo return to the locals after a game suspended. Coritiba will be without several regulars, including suspended goalkeeper Edson Bastos. Midfielder Marlos and forward Gustavo are injured.

In Recife, 19th place Santa Cruz hosts fourth place Brasiliense, trying to break an eight-game winless streak. The last win by Santa Cruz was on June 26, a 1-0 victory over Ituano. Brasiliense is coming off three wins, one loss and a draw in its last five games, and promises to try hard for the win against Santa to remain in the top four of the Serie B. Santa Cruz is coming off a 6-0 loss to Ponte Preta, and will likely see many changes on the pitch for Tuesday's game. Rodriguinho returns to Brasiliense after serving a one-game suspension, while right-back Rafael Toledo may start in place of injured Patrick.

In other matches, 15th place Avai hosts 7th place Ponte Preta, which will try to repeat on the road its success at home this season. The team from Campinas has won six of eight at home, tying two games, but has only one win, one draw and six losses away from home. Just two points above the last relegation spot, Avai is winless in three.

Sixth place Vitoria goes to Maceio to face 11th place CRB, and last place Remo hosts 16th place Ituano. Ceara, in 14th, plays at home against fifth place Gremio Barueri, and 17th Santo Andre goes to Brasilia to face 12th place Gama. Finally, it will be 13th place Sao Caetano at home to 9th place Fortaleza.