Vasco da Gama v Cruzeiro

Vasco da Gama vs Cruzeiro Preview

Vasco da Gama find themselves in early trouble down near the bottom of the Brazilian top flight as the hosts occupy third from bottom position in the Serie A table prior to this Saturday's clash with Cruzeiro who sit in the last of the Copa Sudamericana spots ahead of this weekend's action.

Vasco da Gama have managed to win just two of their opening 13 games of this new Serie A season which came in the form of wins against Atletico Mineiro and Cuiaba but in between these two wins, the hosts had failed to win any of the 10 games played.

Having been handed seven defeats during this lean period in between the rare victories so far this season, Vasco da Gama look to have their work cut out this weekend despite holding home advantage at their Estádio São Januário where they've managed to capture just two wins so far this term.

The bigger picture shows Vasco da Gama have won just five of their previous 21 matches overall on home soil which includes 11 defeats.

Cruzeiro have also struggled for results lately in the Brazilian top flight as the visitors have collected just one win from their last seven matches overall in Serie A, which came in the shape of a 1-0 home win against Sao Paulo but losses incurred against Cuiaba, Atletico Mineiro and Fortaleza have threatened the hosts' current place in the Copa Sudamericana spots.

It's worth noting that each of these three defeats though were actually inflicted upon Cruzeiro on home soil at their Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto, while results away from home have been solid but also stubborn, winning twice and drawing their last three games on the trot.

An unbeaten run of five games on the road include victories gained over Bragantino and America Mineiro and have been followed by points picked up in draws with Flamengo, Bahia and Internacional and having lost just four of their last 13 games on their travels, Cruzeiro may perhaps hold a slight edge heading into this upcoming encounter at the Estádio São Januário.

Vasco da Gama v Cruzeiro Verdict

Both Vasco da Gama and Cruzeiro have produced questionable performances and results of late in the Brazilian Serie A but out of these two sides, it appears that Cruzeiro may have the upper hand in this upcoming encounter, especially as they have picked up two recent wins away from home as well.

In addition, Cruzeiro have lost just one of the previous four encounters against Vasco da Gama and the visitors look like they're capable of making something happen in this clash on Saturday afternoon and at decent odds too.

Therefore, our main bet will be Cruzeiro win @ 2.62

Other side bets worth considering:

Over 2.5 goals @ 2.25

Correct score: Cruzeiro 2-1 @ 10.00