Botafogo can qualify for the last 16 of the Copa do Brasil for a third successive campaign with a win or draw in the second leg of their third-round tie against Vitoria on Wednesday at Estadio Manoel Barradas.
A goal just beyond the hour mark in leg one was all Fogo would need to claim a 1-0 triumph versus the side from Salvador, who are seeking their first trip into the round of 16 since 2021.
Match preview
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Leao da Barra enter the second leg of a Copa do Brasil tie in a familiar position, facing a deficit heading into their return engagement.
It is the fourth successive time in this competition that Vitoria have lost the opening game of a two-leg tie, while they have only been able to come back and advance on one of those previous occasions, defeating Internacional 3-1 in the 2021 third round after losing leg one, 1-0.
Leo Conde's men are winless in seven successive matches in all competitions, scoring a goal or fewer in each of those encounters.
Coming from behind has not been something they have done well recently, losing five consecutive matches in all competitions when conceding the opening goal.
All of their victories in 2024 have come at home, while their only point so far in the Brasileiro Serie A campaign this year took place at Estadio Manoel Barradas against Bahia in April (2-2).
Vitoria have never won a Copa do Brasil contest against Fogo and have not beaten them at home since the 2014 Serie A campaign (2-1).
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Thanks to a strong second-half push, another trip to the round of 16 at the Copa do Brasil is within reach for Botafogo, who have not been eliminated at this stage of the competition since 2019 (3-2 on aggregate versus Juventude).
Artur Jorge's men are unbeaten in their last three matches in all competitions away from home, most recently claiming a 1-0 victory in Peru versus Universitario on matchday five of the Copa Libertadores.
O Glorioso have won seven consecutive third-round contests in the Copa do Brasil, going five successive matches at this stage of the tournament without conceding.
The Rio-based club have not been knocked out in any of their previous three ties in this competition after avoiding defeat in the opening leg.
Since squandering an early lead and losing 3-2 domestically at Cruzeiro in mid-April, this team have won seven consecutive matches in all competitions when scoring the opening goal.
Fogo are unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions versus Vitoria, failing to concede in any of their previous three meetings against them.
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Team News
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For this pivotal second leg, Vitoria will likely be without Felipe Vieira, who has an ACL strain, while Everaldo is dealing with a thigh injury.
Raul Caceres is expected to miss this encounter with a sore heel, while Willean Lepo and Jean Mota are each suffering from groin injuries, and both are projected to return in early June.
Despite incurring a straight red card in their domestic defeat versus Vasco da Gama, Camutanga is eligible to play for Leo do Barra on Wednesday.
Botafogo will likely be without Rafael for this encounter due to a sore knee, while Matheus Nascimento and Tiquinho Soares have thigh injuries.
Marcal remains sidelined with a calf strain, and Pablo continues to recover from an unknown injury, with neither expected to return until late May at the earliest.
Eduardo had the only goal for Estrela Solitaria in the first leg of this tie, as John only had to make one save to pick up a clean sheet.
Vitoria possible starting lineup:
Arcanjo; Zeca, Camutanga, Leonardo; Lepo, Oliveira, Dudu, Calmon; Osvaldo; Adriano, Goncalves
Botafogo possible starting lineup:
John; Ponte, Halter, Barboza, Cuiabano; Savarino, Gregore, De Paula, Jeffinho; Santos, Eduardo
We say: Vitoria 0-1 Botafogo (Botafogo advances 2-0 on aggregate)
Vitoria have shown they can keep their matches close, but rarely has that been enough for them to win, and we wonder if they have enough talent to upset an experienced and well-balanced Fogo side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
