Goias will be hoping to move out of the Brasileiro Serie A relegation zone when they take on Fluminense at Estadio de Haile Pinheiro on Sunday.

Esmeraldino are the first side below the dotted line, currently 17th after the first nine league matches this season, while Fluminense are in sixth place, just one point off the top four.

Match preview

It is fair to say the domestic season has not got off to the type of start that Goias would have been hoping for after securing a Copa Sudamericana spot last season.

After pulling off an excellent 2-1 home win over league leaders Botafogo last month, Goias have failed to win any of their next three league matches coming into this one, with their most recent ending in a 1-0 home loss to Cuiaba.

While their domestic form has been far from impressive, they have been performing well in cup competitions but were forced to swallow a bitter pill after their perfect record in the Copa Sudamericana was brought to an end against Gimnasia La Plata this week.

Following an overturned penalty decision in that match, Ariel Palacio received a red card for a poor tackle inside two minutes of being brought off the bench, forcing a 10-man Esmeraldino to settle for a share of the spoils.

Goias evidently look most dangerous in dead-ball situations and from out wide this season, especially on their home patch, where they have earned six of their seven-point tally heading into matchday 10.

Having been outscored 13-4 by this opponent over a four-match losing run dating back to October 2020, the hosts will likely need to deliver one of their best performances of the season to win this match in order to pull away from the drop zone.

Meanwhile, Fluminense also had to endure disappointment in the continental cup competition after losing their last match 2-0 to Primera Division leaders River Plate on Thursday night.

O Flu were unable to respond to the Argentine outfit's two second-half goals, marking their second loss in the tournament and blowing Group D in the Copa Libertadores wide open with all four sides still in contention for a knockout qualification spot going into the final match of the group stages.

While they have been doing fairly well in Serie A this season, Fluminense are beginning to develop an unwanted trend of poor performances and results in away matches as they come into this one riding a wave of five consecutive defeats on the road in all competitions.

Of their five away matches in the league this season, O Flu have lost three, including two in succession ahead of this one against Botafogo and Corinthians, where they failed to score in either match.

However, with a solid record against this opponent, the visitors will fancy their chances here and Fernando Diniz will know that these are the types of games they must win if they are to challenge for a top-three finish as they did last term.

Team News

Interim head coach Emerson Avila made as many as eight changes to his starting lineup in midweek from the side that faced Cuiaba a week ago, with only Tadeu, Sidimar and Gabriel Novaes retaining their spots.

Morelli continues to work his way back to full fitness and started the last match for Goias but will likely drop back to the bench to make way for Willian Oliveira and Ze Ricardo to resume duty in defensive midfield.

The 36-year-old Brazilian, Apodi, made his fourth consecutive appearance off the bench against Gimnasia but will likely remain as a backup option with Maguinho and Sander expected to occupy the full-back slots.

Diniz opted for an unchanged lineup to the side that beat RB Bragantino against River Plate last week and may be tempted to continue in that vein with an almost two-week break coming after this match.

Lele has been an ever-present off the bench for the Fluminense boss in recent weeks and could be an option to replace Paulo Ganso or Vinicius Lima behind German Cano in the starting 11.

Marcelo, Alexsander, Keno and Marrony are all longer-term absentees for Fluminense, though none of them have featured for the visitors yet this season.

Goias possible starting lineup:
Tadeu; Maguinho, Sidimar, Melo, Sander; Willian, Ze Ricardo, Diego, Palacios, Vinicius; Novaes

Fluminense possible starting lineup:
Fabio; Xavier, Nino, Melo, Guga; Andre, Martinelli, Arias, Ganso, Lima; Cano

We say: Goias 2-2 Fluminense

Despite their lofty league position, Fluminense's poor away form cannot be ignored. Goias are well capable of putting on a good show on their home patch, as they showed against Botafogo last month, and after two disappointing results in their last two matches, the hosts will be determined to take something from this one.


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