Ceara can move back into a Copa Sudamericana position with a victory against Avai on Tuesday at Arena Castelao.
Vozao are unbeaten in 11 consecutive home matches in all competitions, though Avai have two more wins domestically and thus are two places ahead of them in 11th in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A table.
Match preview
Conceding four minutes into their weekend fixture versus Corinthians seemed to be the wake-up call they needed to get their game together, and Ceara responded with two goals in five minutes before putting the game to bed in the second half, winning 3-1.
Coming from behind has been a trademark of this side recently, losing only one of their last four encounters in which they had conceded the opener.
Utilising more speed out wide and being able to sustain more intensity have been two of the main priorities that manager Marquinhos Santos has asked out of his group over the past few weeks, and we are seeing them be a lot more effective in those areas of late, as their last three victories in all competitions have been by a combined score of 7-1.
It has to be encouraging for Santos to see his team finish off most of their fixtures in recent times, winning their last three games in which they drew first blood, after squandering six points earlier this season from winning positions.
What has set them back at times domestically this year is too much complacency while also underestimating their share of opponents, drawing four straight encounters versus sides who are currently below them in the standings (Coritiba, Goias, Cuiaba and Atletico Goianiense).
Tuesday will be the fourth time that they will welcome Avai to their home field, where Vovo have won two of their three league meetings against them, failing to concede in both triumphs.
Time da Raca ended a four-match losing run on Saturday with a splendid defensive display versus Santos, holding them to a mere two shots on target in a 1-0 victory.
Defending with the kind of poise and organisation that we saw from them last weekend has rarely occurred in this domestic campaign, with Avai conceding the second-most goals (27) so far this year.
Heading into this upcoming match, they are winless in back-to-back road contests, losing by a combined 6-0 scoreline in defeats to Fluminense and Bragantino.
Before their shutout on Saturday, the last time they had kept a clean sheet in this domestic campaign was away from home, winning 1-0 at Botafogo in the middle of June.
While not always looking consistently sharp on the back end each game, to be 11th in the table after being promoted over the previous campaign is an achievement for Eduardo Barroca and his side.
Only one of their last four goals scored have come in the second half, while their previous eight goals conceded have been in the final 45 minutes.
- D
- D
- D
- D
- L
- W
- W
- D
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- L
- D
- L
- L
- W
Team News
Bruno Pacheco and Vina each scored their first for Ceara in the domestic campaign this past weekend, while Cleber tallied his third of the year, moving beyond Lima into second on the team.
Stiven Mendoza still leads them with seven goals domestically, though he has not scored in 10 consecutive matches in all competitions, while Luiz Otavio netted their last road goal domestically in a 2-1 defeat at Fluminense.
Erick will not be healed from his collarbone injury until early August, Iury Castilho missed their victory on Saturday with a red card suspension, while Pacheco and Cleber were the only two newcomers to the starting 11 over the weekend, replacing Victor Luis and Ze Roberto.
Bissoli tallied his team-leading eighth of the season for Avai in their victory over Santos, while Vladimir collected perhaps his most straightforward clean sheet of the season, making two saves.
Four players are tied for first on the team regarding assists this year as William Pottker, Morato, Eduardo and Kevin all have one.
Morato is one of several players currently on the mend as he, Muriqui, Douglas and Arthur Chaves all have muscle injuries, while Paulo Baya continues to be hampered with back pain, Matheus Galdezani has an issue with his knee and Romulo has not recovered from his thigh problem.
Ceara possible starting lineup:
Ricardo; Macedo, Messias, Otavio, Pacheco; Sobral, Coelho; Lima, Mendoza, Lindoso; Dentinho
Avai possible starting lineup:
Vladimir; Kevin, Bressan, Vaz, Raniele; Ventura; Pottker, Silva, Eduardo; Renato, Bissoli
We say: Ceara 2-1 Avai
Ceara at home are usually a good bet to come away with something, and when you add to that how poor Avai have been this season along the backline, we expect Vozao to triumph, especially given their consistency at Castelao.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
body check tags ::
Previews by email
