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Fortaleza will invite Botafogo to the Castelão in the Brazilian Serie A on Thursday.
Both teams have endured a poor run of form recently, as the hosts are winless in their last seven league outings and the visitors have been winless in their last six matches.
The hosts suffered their 14th defeat of the league campaign last time around, falling to a 1-0 home loss to Cruzeiro. The visitors, meanwhile, held RB Bragantino to a 2-2 draw in their previous outing, arresting their losing streak in the league to four games.
While they were able to avoid a fifth-straight league defeat, reigning champions Palmeiras registered a 3-0 win over Internacional and replaced the visitors as the league leaders.
The visitors trail Palmeiras by two points in the league table and, having lost pole position in the league standings for the first time since May, they'll look to return to winning ways here. As they have a game in hand, a win in this match will restore them as the leaders.
Fortaleza vs Botafogo Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams will meet for just the 16th time in the Brazilian Serie A. The visitors have the upper hand in these meetings with 10 wins to their name. The hosts have got the better of their southern rivals thrice and just two meetings between them have ended in stalemates.
- The visitors registered a league double over the hosts last season, recording 3-1 wins at home and in the away game. They continued that winning form with a 2-0 home win in the reverse fixture in June.
- Fortaleza have lost six of their last seven league games, failing to score four times in that period.
- Botafogo have won just two of their last 11 away games across all competitions, failing to score six times in that period.
Fortaleza vs Botafogo Prediction
Leão do Pici are winless in their last eight games across all competitions, suffering seven defeats. They have lost three games in a row at home, scoring just once while conceding four times in that period, and might struggle here.
Two of their three meetings against the visitors have come at home and they'll look to make the most of the home advantage in this match. Vinicius Zanocelo, Tobias, and Hercules remain sidelined through injuries for head coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, so he is expected to field an unchanged starting XI.
Estrela Solitária will play their first match under the tutelage of Tiago Nunes, their third managerial appointment of the season. They have just two wins in their last nine away games in the Serie A, which is a cause for concern.
Tiquinho Soares has returned from an injury and is in contention to start in this match. His addition will come as a boost to the visitors, who look to register their first win since mid-October.
While both teams head into the match in poor form, considering the visitors' advantage in the head-to-head record, we back them to eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: Fortaleza 1-2 Botafogo
Fortaleza vs Botafogo Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Botafogo to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Tiquinho Soares to score or assist any time - Yes
