When Goias and Botafogo play each other in the early hours of Thursday morning at the Estadio da Serrinha, the clubs are separated by just three points in the Brasileiro standings. Botafogo is the away team.
As we get into the later stages of the season, it seems like there will be fierce competition for the top 12 spots in the Brasileiro. As a result, it will be important for both teams to keep their current standings in the Copa Sudamericana standings if they want to advance.
Our Match Preview: Goias vs Botafogo
After three victories and three draws in their previous six matches, Goias is no longer worried about relegation.
Only league leaders Palmeiras have defeated Jair Ventura’s team in the previous two months, and they seem strong to secure one of six Copa Sudamericana spots.
Pedro Raul’s goal against Bragantino secured them a point last time out, after scoring both in a 2-1 victory away to Santos and the lone goal in an eye-catching triumph against Atletico Mineiro.
After scoring twice against his previous team in June, Pedro Raul should be confident he can be the difference-maker again. He has scored precisely half of their league goals this season, and two clean sheets in the previous 10 games demonstrate they struggle to win without him.
Botafogo, like Goias, has seen its fortunes improve, gaining seven points from nine and losing only once, in a 3-1 victory against Fortaleza. This is good after losing five straight matches, including against Juventude and Atletico Goianiense.
Carlos Eduardo, recently acquired from Al-Ahli, has been vital in their current excellent run, scoring twice against Fortaleza and setting up the winning goal against Coritiba. Only three teams have picked up more points per game on the road than Luis Castro’s squad.
Nobody has double-digit goals after 27 games, and they average one per game. Botafogo is merely six points above the relegation zone despite holding a continental qualifying slot.
Our Team News: Goias vs Botafogo
The recent success of Goias’ starting eleven has convinced coach Ventura to make a few changes to the team’s starting lineup.
Dada Belmonte, who left the game at halftime against Flamengo a week ago and did not play in the tie with Bragantino, might come off the bench to take Renato Junior’s spot.
Goias’s whole Brazilian roster has not been away on national service, and there are no fresh injury worries to worry about.
They might swap out Tche and Lucas Fernandes for newcomers Danilo Barbosa and Gabriel Pires, who both came in as halftime replacements in Botafogo’s previous game and helped spark a 2-0 victory over Coritiba.
Tiquinho Soares, an ex-Porto striker who was signed by Botafogo after they lost top scorer Erison to Estoril, scored his first goal in the Brazilian top division in the victory against Coritiba. Soares had previously played for Olympiacos.
After two starts in which he kept clean sheets in place of injured former Manchester United fullback Rafael da Silva, Renzo Saravia should continue to fill in on the right.
Due to Roberto Fernandez’s Paraguay assignment, backup Douglas Borges may get the call to make only his second league appearance of the season.
- Goias possible starting lineup: Tadeu, Maguinho, Caetano, Reynaldo, Savio, Auremir, Sales, Belmonte, Diego, Marquinhos Gabriel, Pedro Raul.
- Botafogo possible starting lineup: Borges, Saravia, Adryelson, Cuesta, Marcal, Gabriel, Danilo, Jr Santos, C Eduardo, Sa, Soares.
Our prediction: Goias 1-1 Botafogo
Three or fewer goals have been scored in each of the past eight matches for Goias and 14 of Botafogo’s last 16 matches.
Both teams have been difficult to defeat as of late, but they may be able to balance each other out in what should be a tightly contested matchup, with every point crucial for teams still in the hunt for continental qualifying.