Botafogo vs Fluminense Predictions

• Botafogo have won their last two Serie A games to move level on points with Fluminense.
• Fluminense have lost two, drawn two and won only one of their five away league games in 2022.
• Botafogo are fully rested while Fluminense played a cup game in midweek.

Flu forwards have caught a cold 

After back-to-back league wins, Botafogo appear to have put their bad form behind them and can spring another surprise on a Fluminense side that have been missing too many goalscoring chances.

Fogo coach Luis Castro made drastic changes to his side’a approach after a run of four straight league defeats, recalling veteran central defender Joel Carli, switching to three at the back and setting up a lot deeper. Subsequent results – a 1-0 win over Sao Paulo and a 3-2 road success at Internacional in a match when they went down to ten after seven minutes – suggest the new tactics suit the team.

The hosts have had more time on the training ground this week to work on the system while opponents Fluminense were in action in the Brazilian cup. Flu’s 2-1 win over Serie B outfit Cruzeiro should have been much more comfortable, but they wasted several good opportunities to score.

Defensive formation the bedrock for Botafogo boost

The Carioca state champions don’t have a great goal record away from home in the Brasileirao and look hard to trust in this contest. Fernando Diniz’s men have won only one of their last five away league games, drawing two and losing two while failing to score in their last two road games at rock-bottom Juventude and relegation-threatened America Mineiro.

The hosts will be missing on-loan Chelsea midfielder Lucas Piazon, who became one of four players sent off after triggering an on-pitch brawl in added time against Internacional, during which he suffered a dislocated shoulder, But the returns of Kanu and Victor Cuesta from suspension will enable Castro to field a back three again, which now seems to be the bedrock of their recent turnaround.

Fogo look worthy of support as a drawn no bet proposition at around 4/5 here given Flu haven’t beaten any team above 18th in the table on their travels this term. Bearing in mind Flu’s recent finishing issues, a 1-0 Botafogo success offers value in the correct score markets as the hosts have only hit multiple home goals once so far this year.

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