Vitoriavs.Athletico PR

The Leao da Barra have lost each of the last four meetings between the two teams since November 2016 and will head into the weekend looking to end this poor run.

Match preview

After stumbling into the campaign, newcomers Vitoria appears to found their feet in the Serie A, and this was on display in midweek when they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fluminense.

Vitoria journeyed to the Maracana Stadium without a win against the hosts in their previous six encounters, but Janderson grabbed the headlines as he netted a 90th-minute winner to hand them a first win over Fluminense since September 2014.

This followed a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Red Bull Bragantino on June 23, which saw Vitoria's four-game unbeaten run — including consecutive victories over Internacional and Atletico Mineiro — come to an end.

Having failed to win any of their first eight league games, a run of three victories in their last four outings has seen Thiago Carpini's men surge from the doldrums as they now sit 15th in the Serie A table, level on 12 points with Criciuma and Cuiaba.

This upturn in form has been owing to the Leao da Barra's ruthless display at the offensive end of the pitch, as they have scored eight home in their last four matches, having netted just six in their previous eight games to start the season.

Athletico Paranaense, on the other hand, failed to arrest their slump in form as they suffered a 2-0 defeat against Cruzeiro when the sides squared off at the Mineirao Stadium on Wednesday.

Porto loanee Gabriel Veron broke the deadlock on the 15th-minute mark to set the hosts on their way before midfielder Vitinho put the result beyond reach in the first minute of stoppage time.

Having picked up five wins and one draw in their opening eight Serie A games, Atletico Paranaense have now failed to win any of their last four matches, claiming three draws and losing once since mid April.

While the Rubro-Negro are one of only five sides yet to lose a league game at home this season and host the division's joint third-best point tally on home turf (14), their struggles have come on the road, where they have won just one of their six games.

With 19 points from 12 matches, Juliano Roberto Antonello's men are currently sixth in the league standings, one point behind fifth-placed Cruzeiro, who have one game in hand.

Paranaense will be backing themselves to return to winning ways this weekend as they take on an opposing side who have lost each of their last four encounters, conceding 13 goals and scoring four since a 3-2 win in November 2016.

Vitoria Brasileiro form:

D

D

W

W

L

W

Athletico Paranaense Brasileiro form:

L

W

D

D

D

L

Team News

Vitoria will take to the pitch without several players down the spine of the team as Mateus Gonclaves (knee), Everaldo (thigh) and Dudu (knee) are all recuperating from injuries.

They are joined on the club's injury table by 28-year-old forward Iury Castilho, who has missed each of the last six games after coming off injured against Atletico Goianiense on June 1.

Veteran defender Bruno Uvini is set to sit out his seventh consecutive game due to a thigh injury while Camutanga is currently recuperating from a knee problem.

Paranaense will have to cope without goalkeeper Bento Krepski and midfielder Agustín Canobbio, who are away at the ongoing Copa America with Brazil and Uruguay respectively.

On the injury front, Antonello will be unable to call upon the services of Argentine midfielder Tomas Cuello, who missed the game against Cruzeiro through a knee problem.

Vitoria possible starting lineup:

Arcanjo; Lepo, Vinicius, Leonardo, Caceres; Willian, Santos, Leo; Matheusinho, Alerrandro, Osvaldo

Athletico Paranaense possible starting lineup:

Linck; Godoy, Rocha, Heleno, Esquivel; Fernandinho, Erick, Cardoso; Nikao, Mastriani, Julimar

We say: Vitoria 1-1 Athletico Paranaense

Vitoria have put together a fine run of results of late but will need to be at their best as they look to end their losing streaks against the visitors. Paranaense have struggled to get going on their travels and we see both sides settling for a share of the spoils.

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