Saturday night sees Vasco da Gama hosting Flamengo in the Brazilian Serie A, as the visitors look to aid their chances of finishing top of the pile in the top-flight this season.
Vasco da Gama are currently midtable and occupy a Copa Sudamericana spot. However, at this early stage of the season, the Rio outfit can still mount a challenge for a place in the Copa Libertadores for next season.
The home team may have been in one of those top-four spots in the league if it had not been for a terrible recent run of league form. Vasco have failed to win any of their last four Serie A games, having suffered three defeats in the process. Last time out they suffered a 3-0 hammering at Bahia.
Their recent home form has also been highly inconsistent, as although they have lost just one of their previous nine home matches in the league, they have also won just once in four games too.
Their recent home matches have not exactly been goal fests, with under 2.5 goals scored in seven of their previous nine outings.
Flamengo finds themselves third-place in the table, just three points off the top of the Serie A table. A run of six wins in their last eight league games has been a big factor in their current lofty position in the table.
Dominic Torrent’s team has recorded back-to-back wins against Atletico PR and Sport Recife. Flamengo scored three goals in both of the victories and they have now scored at least two goals in five of their last seven league games.
Flamengo have an inconsistent recent away record in the Brazilian top-flight, as they have won four, lost three and drawn one of their previous eight league matches on their travels.
Forebet predicts that Flamengo will continue their recent positive run of form by recording a victory in a low-scoring clash.