A pair of newly promoted teams to the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A will do battle for the first time this season, as Goias need a win to ensure that they remain above the relegation zone when travelling to Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos on Monday to face Botafogo.
Fogo sit seventh in the league with 12 points heading into this encounter, while Esmeraldino are clinging to the final spot in Serie A, one point ahead of Cuiaba.
Match preview
They earned their place back into the top-flight with an impressive 70 points to capture the Serie B title a season ago, and so far this year, Botafogo have shown that they belong with the big boys in Brazil.
Coming into this match, A Estrela solitaria are a mere three points behind the league leaders as they prepare for a busy month of June that will see them play six domestic fixtures, four of which will take place in 10 days, beginning on Monday.
Since their opening defeat at home to Corinthians (3-1), they have done a great job at maintaining a solid defensive shape, conceding a goal or fewer in their next seven league fixtures.
Luis Castro has implemented a sound system within this group, with a focus on preventing their opponents access into central spaces, a system which his players have executed well.
Only two of their 11 goals scored this season have come in the opening half, but they have rescued plenty of points late in matches, scoring six goals beyond the 80th minute.
For a newly-promoted side, there is a lot of quality up and down the lineup, combined with a relentless work rate among all 11 players on the field.
Their stay in the second-tier of Brazilian football was short-lived, but Goias are discovering how one slip-up can set you back in a long domestic campaign.
They began the season without a victory in their first four domestic encounters but were able to make up ground last month, collecting points in three of their four league games, bringing them above relegation for the time being.
Goias manager Jair Ventura has a long history with Botafogo, where he got his start in coaching, beginning as an assistant from 2009-to 2012, helping them qualify for the 2017 Copa Libertadores while in charge.
The son of Brazilian legend and former World Cup winner Jairzinho, Ventura has adopted a style that is very different from how his father played in the 1970s with the national team, as Goias tend to focus on zonal marking combined with defensive solidity.
That approach has enabled his team to keep their matches close, particularly against the stronger sides in this league, drawing Atletico Mineiro (2-2) and Palmeiras (1-1), while narrowly losing to Flamengo (1-0).
They should be feeling confident heading into this match after taking out Bragantino in the third round of the Copa do Brasil on penalties in a thrilling two-leg tie.
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Team News
Erison is off to a fantastic start to his Botafogo career, scoring five goals so far, putting him even with Hulk for second in the Brasileiro Serie A and three behind Jonathan Calleri.
Rafael is unlikely to return anytime soon due to an Achilles tendon rupture, while Gustavo Sauer could soon be back in the lineup, having missed time with a sore ankle.
Philipe Sampaio has a knee injury, and Carlinhos is nursing an ACL issue which will keep him sidelined until at least October.
Romildo Del Piage and Chay were inserted into the starting 11 last Sunday, replacing Tche Tche and Patrick de Paula.
Goias defender Hugo is out until the middle of the month with a knee issue, and Luiz Filipe will not be back this season due to an ACL injury.
Elvis leads them in goals this season, tallying four times domestically, two more than Pedro Raul, while he, Diego and Apodi are the only players to pick up assists for them in league play.
Goalkeeper Tadeu was heroic last Tuesday in their Copa do Brasil tie, stopping five Bragantino penalties and beating Cleiton from 12 yards away.
Botafogo possible starting lineup:
Fernandez; Borges, Cuesta, Kanu, Saravia; Tche Tche, Oyama; Goncalves, De Paula, Sa; Erison
Goias possible starting lineup:
Tadeu; Maguinho, Sidimar, Reynaldo, Caetano, Barcelos; Apodi, Elvis, Bastos, Dada; Nicolas
We say: Botafogo 1-0 Goias
Goias have competed hard and given themselves a chance to earn points in virtually every game, but they tend to hang back too often, playing rather deep in their third of the field, which Botafogo should be able to take advantage of.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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