Palmeiras vs Vitoria 3pm est - Palmeiras had been cruising at the top of the table for a while and looked real good doing it, but then star attacker Gabriel Jesus was yanked for Olympic duty and then he's off to Manchester City. Palmeiras has played 3 games without Jesus and they've gone winless in all 3 and have not looked like the same club without their former young prodigy. They still have some capable strikers, but they are not the same club they were a month ago. Vitoria has been one of the better bets all year and I've cashed quite a few times with them, as they get no respect from the linesmakers and are constantly getting +1 and +1.5 in asian lines and often covering. Since the start of Serie A, they've only lost 2 matches by more than 1 goal. While Vitoria do have the occasional ugh moment with defensive lapses, they are lively in midfield, and have a very good striker in Keiza, who used to be a scoring machine for Nautico a few years ago. Long time Serie A starter Dagoberto is also in the squad and former Atletico Nacional midfielder Cardenas is a recent addition. Since Vitoria plays hard every game, and Palmeiras is struggling to figure out life after Gabriel Jesus, I like getting a goal at plus odds or a goal and a half with Vitoria. VITORIA +1 @ +115 or + 1.5 @ -160 .
Internacional vs Fluminense 3:15 pm est - Since rocketing to the top of the table in the first month, Internacional is in complete free fall. They have 8 losses and 2 draws in their last 10 league games and they truly look lost. This is easily the worst squad they've had at Inter in a long time, and I'm simply amazed that as bad as they're playing that they're still considerable favorites in this one. Fluminense is completely the opposite. Whereas they started the season very dull, and then unloaded long time scoring leader Fred, they've righted the ship and have some recent new additions to the team that are quality. Henrique Dourado returns to Brazil after a nice stint in Portugal and he's got 2 games under his belt and is rounding back into fitness. Dourado is a top goal scorer, and he will make the brilliant Gustavo Scarpa even better. With Cicero and Marcos Junior scoring goals again, this team is improving really fast. So you have a team with new blood playing much better going against a team that's winless in their last 10 with 8 losses and you're an underdog. While I'll personally be betting equal amounts, for those that want to pick just one of these for some action, this would be the game I would play. I love the tri colors from Rio in this one : FLUMINENSE PICK @ +175 or + 1/2 @ -125
America Mineiro vs Santos 10am est - It's bottom of the table hosting top of the table. While taking the league leaders would usually be square city and an inflated price, I really don't think that's the case here. I think Santos is a lot better than the market and the linesmakers think they are. They lost Gabriel to the Olympics, but I truly think they are still a very dynamic counter attacking team with a real emerging talent in 19 year old Vitor orchestrating in midfield, and a few really nice attacking options including Copete. America Mineiro is winless in their last 10 league games and has looked real bad in many of those 8 losses, including getting beat up 3-0 at home by Santa Cruz of all teams. When I saw Santos at plus odds for an outright win, I smiled from ear to ear. Maybe I'm overrating this Santos team, but I like their counter attacking style and solid defense against a team thats so far down in last that they might be geting ready to mail some of these in. Im taking Santos in this one.
SANTOS - 1/2 @ +120
Pretty rare for me to play all road teams, but that's how it worked out for the day, and I guess I'll be hoping to be backing Road Warriors.
Internacional vs Fluminense 3:15 pm est - Since rocketing to the top of the table in the first month, Internacional is in complete free fall. They have 8 losses and 2 draws in their last 10 league games and they truly look lost. This is easily the worst squad they've had at Inter in a long time, and I'm simply amazed that as bad as they're playing that they're still considerable favorites in this one. Fluminense is completely the opposite. Whereas they started the season very dull, and then unloaded long time scoring leader Fred, they've righted the ship and have some recent new additions to the team that are quality. Henrique Dourado returns to Brazil after a nice stint in Portugal and he's got 2 games under his belt and is rounding back into fitness. Dourado is a top goal scorer, and he will make the brilliant Gustavo Scarpa even better. With Cicero and Marcos Junior scoring goals again, this team is improving really fast. So you have a team with new blood playing much better going against a team that's winless in their last 10 with 8 losses and you're an underdog. While I'll personally be betting equal amounts, for those that want to pick just one of these for some action, this would be the game I would play. I love the tri colors from Rio in this one : FLUMINENSE PICK @ +175 or + 1/2 @ -125
America Mineiro vs Santos 10am est - It's bottom of the table hosting top of the table. While taking the league leaders would usually be square city and an inflated price, I really don't think that's the case here. I think Santos is a lot better than the market and the linesmakers think they are. They lost Gabriel to the Olympics, but I truly think they are still a very dynamic counter attacking team with a real emerging talent in 19 year old Vitor orchestrating in midfield, and a few really nice attacking options including Copete. America Mineiro is winless in their last 10 league games and has looked real bad in many of those 8 losses, including getting beat up 3-0 at home by Santa Cruz of all teams. When I saw Santos at plus odds for an outright win, I smiled from ear to ear. Maybe I'm overrating this Santos team, but I like their counter attacking style and solid defense against a team thats so far down in last that they might be geting ready to mail some of these in. Im taking Santos in this one.
SANTOS - 1/2 @ +120
Pretty rare for me to play all road teams, but that's how it worked out for the day, and I guess I'll be hoping to be backing Road Warriors.