Preview: Botafogo vs. Vasco da Gama - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts have made an excellent start to the campaign, sitting top of the division on 30 points, while Vasco de Gama occupy 18th, having only picked up nine points from their first 12 matches.

Match preview

Botafogo have not won the Brasileiro since 1995, which was their second success in the competition, and there is still an awful lot of football to be played, but they currently top the division on 30 points.

Such is the strength of their start, the Black and Whites are already eight points clear at the top of the table, boasting a record of 10 wins and two losses from their first 12 matches.

Luis Castro's side have been victorious in each of their last three Brasileiro matches, overcoming Fortaleza, Cuiaba and Palmeiras without conceding a single goal.

The home side will enter this game off the back of a draw, having shared the points with Magallanes in the Copa Sudamericana on Thursday.

The 1-1 result mattered little, though, as they have advanced to the latter stages of the competition, and Castro's team will now be aiming to continue their excellent start to the Brasileiro campaign.

Vasco da Gama, meanwhile, will enter the contest off the back of a morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Cuiaba in the Brasileiro, with Jair netting the only goal of the contest in the 77th minute.

The win ended a six-game losing run in the division and gave them a vital boost ahead of what is a very difficult contest against the best side in the league thus far this season.

William Batista's side have only managed to pick up nine points from their opening 12 matches of the campaign, which has left them down in 18th position in the table.

Vasco da Gama were promoted back to the top flight from Serie B last season, so their main focus for the current campaign is to avoid dropping back into the second tier.

O Gigante da Colina have actually picked up more points on their travels (five) than at home (four) this term, but Botafogo have been victorious in each of their six Brasileiro games in front of their own supporters.

Botafogo Brasileiro form:

W

W

L

W

W

W

Botafogo form (all competitions):

L

D

W

W

W

D

Vasco da Gama Brasileiro form:

L

L

L

L

L

W

Team News

Tiquinho Soares has been in excellent form for Botafogo this season, finding the back of the net on 10 occasions in the league, and the 32-year-old will again lead the line for the hosts.

Victor Sa and Junior Santos, who have three league goals between them this season, are also expected to continue in the starting XI for this contest.

However, Botafogo will be missing three players through injury, with Lucas Fernandes, Gabriel Pires and Fernando Marcal remaining unavailable for selection.

Vasco da Gama, meanwhile, will be without the services of four players through injury, with Cauan Barros, Manuel Capasso, Gabriel Dias and Riquelme on the sidelines.

There are not expected to be any surprises when it comes to the away side's XI, so it could be a case of same again from the team that started the important win over Cuiaba last time out.

A 4-3-3 formation should see Rayan continue through the middle, with Gabriel Pec and Marlon Gomes also set to keep hold of their starting roles for Sunday's contest.

Botafogo possible starting lineup:

Perri; Rafael, Cuesta, Adryelson, Hugo; Tche, Freitas; Santos, Eduardo, Sa; Soares

Vasco da Gama possible starting lineup:

Jardim; Rodriguez, Bambu, Leo, Piton; Teixeira, Jair, Gomes; Pec, Rayan, Figueiredo

We say: Botafogo 2-0 Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama will be feeling a lot better about themselves following the 1-0 win over Cuiaba, but this is a different test entirely, and we are finding it very difficult to predict anything other than a comfortable home success on Sunday.

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