Vasco da Gama vs Flamengo Predictions

• Vasco da Gama have lost four of their last five Serie A matches
• Flamengo are unbeaten away from home in the league this season
• Flamengo have won four and drawn one of the last five meetings of the clubs

Tite’s side have had the upper hand in Rio

Flamengo are favoured to beat their Rio rivals Vasco da Gama in Sunday’s Serie A clash at Estadio Jornalista Mário Filho. Rubro-Negro have had the upper hand over Cruzmaltino in the past few years, winning four of the last five contests and drawing the other.

The squad from the Maracana Stadium have a good balance of youth and experience right now under ex-Brazil coach Tite, who has taken them up to the top three in the early-season standings.

Flamengo beat Atletico Goianense in their first away date of the Serie A season and followed that up with two road draws, one of them a creditable 0-0 against last year’s champions Palmeiras.

Back Flamengo for victory over inconsistent Vasco 

Their next away win could be here with Vasco entering the weekend in indifferent form after a run of four defeats and one win in their last five league games.

At home, they have beaten Gremio and Vitoria with 2-1 scorelines but lost 4-0 to Criciuma in a shocker of a performance in between. Their inconsistency makes them hard to back even at the big prices quoted about them this weekend.

Backing Flamengo to come away with three points seems like the sensible option and the visitors should be buoyed by their recent Copa do Brasil win at Amazonas. Both teams usually score in games featuring these city neighbours, however, so 2-1 looks like a good correct score pick.